


Being Human

by Hitamu



Category: Persona 4, Persona 5
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-11-20 06:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11330478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hitamu/pseuds/Hitamu
Summary: It has been several months since Akira and the Phantom Thieves have saved the world. Now that Akira has returned home he has found new meaning in his next mission. Helping Morgana become human. With summer break fast approaching Akira finally makes a breakthrough and it looks like he and the rest of the thieves will have a new destination this upcoming break.





	1. A Dream Takes Shape

Akira ended his call with a sense of smug satisfaction. Finally, his long hours of research had given him a solid lead. As Akira slipped his phone back into his pocket a small black cat leapt onto his bead and stared up at him, his head cocked curiously.  
  
“We have a lead Morgana”, Akira said with a bit of excitement slipping into his voice. Morgana stretched out his front paws while swaying his tail back and forth.  
  
“I’m surprised you have found so much information by yourself,” Morgana purred, his blue eyes lazily examining his friend’s face. “You know, once we left Tokyo I thought your days of being Joker were officially over,” Morgana drawled, “But you have that look in your eyes again.”  
  
Akira smiled, he couldn’t help it. Ever since his life in Tokyo he could hardly sit still and while he wasn’t running through palaces anymore, he found himself acting more and more like ‘Joker’ every day.  
  
“Well are you going to leave me guessing? Come on tell me what you found!” Morgana’s impatience became more evident as he began pacing around Akira’s bed. A habit he had formed since the Metavers’ destruction last Christmas. Poor guy probably felt cramped without Palaces or Mementos to explore.  
  
Akira smiled before pulling out his phone again and opening the news article he had stumbled upon earlier this week. He laid it down in front of Morgana and watched as the energetic cat sped through it, using his tiny paw to scroll down the page. Once Morgana finished reading, he curled up into a ball before staring back up at Akira. He could see the cogs turning behind the sharp cat’s eyes.  
  
“You don’t think that there may be others, do you?”  
  
“Exactly!” Akira exclaimed. He had not meant to pump his fist like he did. Another left over mannerism from his Phantom Thief days he supposed. “If there are others like us then we may be able to find a way to turn you into a human.” Morgana raised a single paw in frustration.  
  
“Uh you mean turn me BACK into a human… right?” Akira laughed as Morgana sneered at him. They both knew he had never been human, he had come from the Velvet room after all. For some reason however, Morgana refused to believe he was ever, in his words, ‘Just a cat’. He would lay awake at night and keep Akira up for hours, going on and on about what he must have looked like as a human. “Akira, when are you coming back! I miss you… I need you in my arms again if I’m ever going to survive this horrible school!” Morgana’s voice came out slightly higher than normal and his sneer had turned into a smug smile of satisfaction. Akira’s face turned beat red as he snatched his phone away from Morgana.  
  
“Damn it Morgana…” Akira looked at his phone embarrassed. He had always been a calm and confident person. Emphasis on calm, but ever since he met Futaba Sakura, that had changed. Or at least it had when his life concerned her.  
  
Akira - I’ll be coming next week for Summer break. I promise we will have a date or two. Just us.  
  
Akira tried to hide his new complexion as he typed out his response to Futaba, but the damage was done. Morgana laying on his side, laughing hysterically at his own impression of Akira’s girlfriend. The little bastard had learned very early on in his relationship with Futaba, that he could knock Akira off balance just by bringing her up. They had tried to keep it a secret, but they had been careless one evening and Morgana had caught them sneaking out together.  
  
Futaba – Yes! My key item will finally be in my inventory once more! Do you know how hard it is to complete any quests without your key item? Next to impossible. You better be planning on making it up to me.  
  
Akira smiled at her response, especially because he knew exactly how he would make it up to her. He looked up at the currently panting cat and gave him a smirk. “So, Morgana. What do you think about going on a trip?” Morgana peered up at him again, a smile still playing across his feline face.  
  
“You mean back to Tokyo? Of course I can’t wait to see the other Phantom Thieves and…” Morgana trailed off and looked away. Akira smiled as he saw his chance.  
  
“Oh Lady Ann! How I have missed you, how do you like my new human body.” Akira flexed his arms and pushed out his lips to accentuate his point. Morgana shot straight up and growled.  
  
“Do you want to fight!” Morgana yelled, his eyes squinting. Akira burst out laughing. Morgana had always been a little defensive, but Akira had discovered very early on in their time as Phantom Thieves that Morgana was smitten with Ann. Honestly, he had no idea how Ann didn’t know. It wasn’t like he was very subtle about it.  
  
As Morgana laid back down sulking, Akira went back to his phone.  
  
Akira – Actually I have an idea about that. What do you think about going on a trip together?  
  
Futaba – Really!? Like just the two of us…  
  
He didn’t have to be next to his girlfriend to know that her face had just gone completely red in the span of a few seconds. Futaba knew how to tease him, but the moment their relationship came up she quickly became tongue tied and would stammer halfhearted objections. It was adorable and he was almost sad that he had to ruin her new day dreams.  
  
Akira – Haha I was thinking more the entire group.  
  
Futaba – Oh! That makes sense. Well I would love to! We should message the others and see. Did you have a destination in mind?  
  
Akira – Yeah I was thinking somewhere a bit more quite then Tokyo, we will talk about the details when I get back home next week.  
  
He hadn’t realized what he had typed before he sent it. Home. He had to admit that Kyoto felt less like home with every passing day.  
  
When Akira had been falsely accused of assaulting a man his parents were the only ones who stuck by him, but he knew even they weren’t entirely sure that he hadn’t done it. It was part of the reason why he had been shipped off to Tokyo. Granted the main reason was because Shujin was the only school that would accept him at the time, but still the lack of communication from his parents during that year was… telling to say the least.  
  
Ever since his return to his hometown a growing sense of unease had slowly begun to take place in his heart. Many of his old friends were ignoring him, people would talk behind his back, and even his parents would give him sidelong glances when they thought he wasn’t looking. It was annoying, but luckily he had kept himself busy with his investigation. If Morgana hadn’t come with him, Akira would have lost his mind long ago.  
  
Morgana’s loud yawn broke Akira’s train of thought and he looked down at the lounging cat. “Don’t you think it’s getting late? We should go to sleep soon.” Morgana lazily nuzzled Akira’s right leg as he repositioned himself. Akira rolled his eyes at his friend.  
  
“You know just because you are tired that doesn’t mean I’m tired.” Akira let his right hand softly press against Morgana’s head as he absentmindedly began to scratch behind his ears. Morgana began to make a low purr as he slowly allowed himself to settle down in his current spot.  
  
“You know I can’t fall asleep unless you are laying down too.” Morgana yawned loudly again to hammer home as much guilt as possible.  
  
“Fine, fine. Let me get ready, I do have school tomorrow anyway.” Akira gave that cat one last scratch behind the ear before standing up. He quickly went about getting ready for bed. As he slipped into his pajama pants he heard his phone vibrate again.  
  
Futaba – That’s cheating! Key Items don’t hide information they unlock it!  
  
Akira – I have a hidden effect that you haven’t uncovered yet.  
  
Futaba – What! How could I have never noticed before. You are way too powerful already!  
  
Akira smiled at his phone, daydreaming about what he would do if she was here. He wanted to hold her against himself, gently kissing her lips and-  
  
“Woah there… keep it together.” Akira shook his head as he tried to banish his thoughts from his mind.  
  
Akira – I Miss you.  
  
It wasn’t like him to get so sentimental, but his fingers moved before his brain realized what he was typing. He began to absent mindedly pull on his bangs, an old habit, as he frowned at his screen.  
  
Futaba – Woah! My key item has gotten even stronger!  
  
Futaba – I Miss you too. You know?  
  
His heart skipped a beat upon reading those words. It wasn’t like he didn’t know they missed each other, but seeing the words spelled out in front of him felt… different somehow.  
  
Akira – I should head to bead. The sooner I fall asleep the sooner I’m with you again.  
  
Futaba – What! But you never told me where we are going! That’s cheating…  
  
Akira – I guess you will have to just wait until I get there.  
  
Akira could already imagine her face at reading his text. Her cheeks would be puffed up as she frowned indignantly at her text messages.  
  
Akira – I’ll tell the others when I’ll be in town and we can all meet up at Leblanc. I love you Futaba.  
  
Futaba – No fair making me miss you like that! You know I can’t keep pushing you when my heart is beating like this… I love you Akira. Sleep Well.  
  
Akira smiled as he plugged in his phone next to his bead. Morgana Had already curled up next to his pillow and was patiently waiting for Akira to turn off the lights. Akira smiled as he flipped off the light and slowly made his way over to his bead. He pulled his covers up and picked up his phone one more time. He opened his browser to a previously read article.  
  
“Other Persona users huh?” Akira whispered into the darkness as he re-read the old article, “Mysterious Murders in Inaba”.


	2. Ace Detective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu Narukami has nothing to do with Akira Kurusu, but worlds will collide when Akira's mysterious contact is revealed. Meanwhile Yu has a big decision to make and for the first time in his life he is feeling nervous.

Yu Narukami sat alone at a small table in a spacious restaurant. Soft string music played off the walls and drifted through the crowd all around him as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  
  
Yu was always a calm man. Ever since his school days he had exuded an aura of confidence, but at this very moment he was nothing more than a high-strung ball of nervousness. He checked his watch for the tenth time in the last minute, before slipping his hand into his jacket pocket. His hand wrapped around the small box that he had hidden away to make sure it was still there.  
  
“Hey! Sorry work kept me a bit late.” Yu jumped at the sudden voice and his hand shot out of his jacket pocket. He could feel his face flush as he looked up at a young woman. Her short brown hair perfectly shaping her face and her ever present smile made it look like she was glowing.  
  
“Ch-Ch-Chie!” Yu’s voice came out shaken and he immediately regretted speaking before he had regained control of his own thoughts. The young woman stopped halfway through sitting in the seat across from him and stared. A brief silence passed between them before she burst out laughing, her whole body shaking with each gasp of air that escaped her lungs. Yu smiled at his companion and he could instantly feel the nerves he had pent up in his shoulders slowly loosen. He began to wonder why he had ever been nervous in the first place.  
  
“Wow I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush like that! Hell even when you told me you loved me for the first time, you have always had that same calm look on your face”, She smiled as she tried to stop giggling.  
  
Chie’s new uniform fit her perfectly. She wore a blue button up shirt and a matching pair of slacks. She was supposed to be wearing a jacket as well, but her habit of tying it around her waist had never really gone away. She must have been in a hurry to get here however, because her badge was still pinned to her shirt. Yu leaned his head into his hand as he smiled at his girlfriend.  
  
“Sorry I was just lost in thought. You were late so I had to do something while I waited here alone,” Chie’s face quickly sunk into a pout.  
  
“I said I was sorry!” She whined, “I kept trying to get away, but my boss kept me. Said he had something important he wanted to talk about. Turns out he just wanted to talk about my unfinished paperwork…” Chie gave a heavy sigh as she looked down at the table, “I took this job to help people, not shuffle papers around.” She jumped when Yu reached out placed his hand on hers.  
  
Chie’s eyes locked with his and he watched as her face suddenly turned a bright red. “Yu… You can’t just… look at me like that you know.” Her protests fell on deaf ears however, as he reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.  
  
“You know doing paperwork is part of helping people.” Yu’s voice was pensive, but his expression remained soft. “You are keeping everything organized so that when you need to find something quickly you know exactly where the file is. It would be a real shame if you had a sudden epiphany, but you couldn’t find that one piece of paper that proved your theory.” She gave him a weak frown.  
  
“You know that isn’t how it actually works…” she moaned.  
  
“I know, but if you think of doing paperwork as a way to help others, then maybe it will be easier to do it.” Yu traced his fingers down the side of her face before reluctantly parting.  
  
“Geez you have been planning this night out for months and the first thing you have to do is cheer me up. I’m so sorry about this.” A soft smile appeared on her face, but Yu could tell she was tired. Her eyes were red and there were defined bags under her eyes. Not that he had any place to talk considering how little he had been sleeping as well.  
  
Yu shook his head and smiled at her. “Chie, I will always be here to make things better. Besides, as long as I’m with you then any night is special.” Chie’s cheeks flushed and Yu couldn’t help but enjoy the sight.  
  
“Good evening! Are you two having a good night?” A cheery young man had approached their table and was looking between the two of them. Yu mourned the end of his moment with Chie, but was glad they could finally order. He had been so busy all day that he hadn’t really had a chance to eat.  
  
“We are doing great thanks!” Chie replied with an equal amount of enthusiasm.  
  
“What can I get you two to drink?” The waiter pulled out a small list and slid it on the table.  
  
A few moments later they had both placed their orders and their waiter had left them alone once more. Yu knew that Chie would be excited to find steak on the menu, but she was practically still salivating. Yu let himself laugh quietly before taking her hand once more.  
  
His free hand slid into his pocket and wrapped around the small box once more. He wanted to wait until the meal was over, but he wasn’t sure he could.  
  
“Chie I have something I want-“ his voice was suddenly cut off as a loud ringing cut through the air. Chie quickly fumbled with her pocket as she apologized profusely. she pulled her phone out and went to tap the screen when she suddenly stopped.  
  
“It’s Naoto.” Chie looked up at him and Yu sighed as he took his hand out of his pocket.  
  
“It’s most likely important. Go ahead and answer it.” Yu rested his head in his hand as he politely waited to find out what Naoto wanted. Naoto knew why he had brought Chie to such an expensive restaurant, so why would she call now?  
  
“Naoto? You are on speakerphone. Yu is here with me.” Chie placed her phone on the center of the table so that they could both hear her.  
  
“Good. I tried calling Yu, but his phone seems to be off.” Chie looked up at him with a confused look on her face. Yu sighed and just shrugged. It was almost like he had done it for a reason. He shook his head and tried to let his frustration dissipate. He wasn’t actually upset with Naoto. He was just nervous.  
  
“Sorry Naoto I must have forgotten to turn it back on after I left the court house. Is something up?”  
  
“That’s alright. Actually, something interesting just happened. I got a call on my personal line from a young man in Kyoto. He had a lot of interesting theories about what happened in Inaba a few years ago.” Yu and Chie exchanged glances before looking back at the phone.  
  
“What sort of theories?” Yu was surprised to find he had an edge to his voice.  
  
It had been almost five years since he and his friends had put a stop to a string of murders in Inaba. They had discovered a new world and a rather unique power at that time as well.  
  
“Well among other things, the young man asked me if I knew what a Persona was.” Yu was so stunned that he almost missed the telltale signs of enjoyment in Naoto’s voice. Yu shook his head at the phone. She was having fun.  
  
“Do you think this kid has something to do with those other Persona users we ran into a few years back?” Chie asked, clearly intrigued by the whole situation.  
  
“No. He seemed just as surprised to hear that there were other Persona users. Though I suppose he may have just heard of Persona’s somewhere, but I think it is safe to assume that this boy has a Persona as well.” Yu furrowed his brow as Naoto continued.  
  
“What makes you so sure?” Yu agreed with Naoto, but without speaking to this mysterious kid, he had no way to back that theory up. He wanted solid evidence or at least a reason as to why Naoto felt that way. Naoto let out a short laugh.  
  
“He reminded me of you.” That surprised them. Naoto was a detective so she normally only lived in a world of facts. Hell, when she found out about the TV world all those years ago, she had been quite stubborn about believing it at first. It wasn’t until she had run down every other angle that she finally started to admit that the only possible explanation was that a TV world existed. Yu was snapped out of his reverie when Naoto continued, “He was incredibly calm during the whole conversation. Even when I pressed him for information he was very adept at dodging my questions. Much like a certain leader once did.” Chie beamed at Yu and he had a hard time hiding his embarrassment.  
  
“So he was like my Yu huh?’ Chie’s voice was coated in amusement and Yu felt her hand find his, “We should be careful then. He is most likely very charming and very handsome.” Yu’s face was particularly warm and he did wish that she would stop teasing him while they were talking to Naoto, who was busy sighing at their antics.  
  
“If you are quite done, may I continue?” Naoto sounded slightly annoyed at being interrupted by their flirting.  
  
“Sorry Naoto. Go ahead.” Yu rolled his eyes at his girlfriend while she continued to grin at him.  
  
“To get to the point, I think he contacted me for a reason. He wouldn’t say why, but he seemed oddly excited when I didn’t deny the existence of Personas. I think we should all get together and meet him.” Yu frowned at the phone. This seemed a bit dangerous to him. They had run into other Persona users before and each time something bad had almost happened. What if this kid wasn’t as well intentioned as Naoto thinks he is?  
  
“Hey Naoto? Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Chie had apparently come to the same conclusion as he had. He couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful woman. In high school she had had a hard time keeping up with their theories and her grades had been less than stellar. Since she decided to become a police officer however, she had thrown herself into her studies.  
  
“I understand your reservations, but I’m already doing some research on our particularly elusive caller. The only information that he was willing to give up was that he was that he was in high school and a name. Joker, most likely a code name. He seemed used to dodging questions and our conversation was almost like a game to him. What could he get out of me? What could he say to keep me interested? To be completely honest it was rather enjoyable.” Naoto seemed to become more and more excited the more she spoke. Something about the name Joker sounded familiar to Yu. He couldn’t quite remember where he had heard it though.  
  
“I think Naoto has a crush.” Yu teased.  
  
“Oh I didn’t think our resident detective was into younger men! Especially one who is so willing to hide his real name. You think she’s starting to like bad boys Yu?” Chie was clearly more than happy to play along.  
  
“Wh-what! I said no such thing! I simply found his wit to be mentally stimulating. I have no designs on this Joker.” Naoto was clearly embarrassed and it took everything Yu had to not continue teasing her.  
  
“Sorry Naoto we were just teasing.” Yu tried to stop himself from chuckling, but he was clearly failing. Naoto sighed rather loudly.  
  
“My point being…” Naoto was clearly not trying to hide her annoyance. “We were already planning on meeting up in Inaba sometime soon. I think it wouldn’t hurt to perhaps meet up with Joker as well.”  
  
“Um Naoto, I suppose we could, but why would this Joker come to Inaba? Didn’t you say he was in Kyoto?” Yu was pretty sure that he already knew Naoto’s answer, but he was glad that Chie had asked the question anyway.  
  
“Clearly Joker is interested in our previous outings. He specifically contacted me instead of any of the papers or the police department involved in the murders. He must have had a reason to believe that I would know what a Persona user was. He had a reason to call me and I will be surprised if he isn’t looking into coming to Inaba right now.” Naoto was clearly enjoying herself again, though to be fair Yu would be lying if he said that he wasn’t a little excited about all of this. Yu had always felt at his best when he and the gang were together. Now it sounded like they had another mystery on the horizon. This? This was going to be fun.  
  
“You are going to call him aren’t you?” Yu hadn’t meant to sound so excited about this, but it been a long time since the group had gotten together.  
  
“Indeed. He called me with a cellphone. He was clearly young and excited so perhaps he had done so without thinking that I would call him back. I think he is looking for something and I think it will be at least interesting to find out what.” Yu shook his head as he continued to smile. It had been a while since Naoto had had a difficult case. Maybe she felt like this would lead to her next big case.  
  
“Well you should keep us involved. I think this could turn out to be really interesting.” Yu said as he leaned back in his chair.  
  
“Of course. Well I’m sorry for interrupting your romantic evening.” Yu’s eyes widened and he quickly looked up at Chie. Chie had cocked her head to one side and was looking rather confused at the phone.  
  
“Wait how did you know we were on a date tonight?” Chie glanced up at Yu, clearly surprised.  
  
“Oh! Uh well…” Naoto was clearly struggling now that she realized she had made a mistake. She was a genius sure, but her interpersonal skills had never been her strong suite.  
  
“Naoto was the one who told me about this place.” Yu on the other had was used to keeping his cool under pressure. Though now that he had been reminded of why they were here in the first place, he suddenly didn’t feel very calm.  
  
“Oh? Is that so…” Yu loved many things about Chie, but her new found ability to read him was not helping at this particular moment.  
  
“Well ahem regardless. I should be going. Lots of research and all. Good luck Yu!” The call came to a sudden end as Chie continued to frown at the suspicious device.  
  
Yu was always an understanding person. He was there for his friends no matter what, and he did everything he could to forgive them for any mistakes they made. At this particular moment however, he was seriously considering killing the young detective.  
  
“So…” Chie slipped her phone back into her pocket while she tightened her grip on Yu’s hand. “Good luck huh? Well you are clearly up to something so you may as well just tell me.” Yu squeezed her hand back as he tried to think of a way out of this. This was not how he expected this night to go.  
  
A large plate of meat was suddenly set in front of Chie and her attention was pulled away from Yu. He breathed a sigh of relief as his own plate was placed in front of him and he knew he had a moment to breath.  
  
_ _ _  
  
“Wow that was amazing!” Chie wrapped her arm around Yu’s as they walked out into the cool night.  
  
Inaba was always quite at night and the lack of light made the night sky shine brilliantly on most nights. Tonight, was just such a night. The sky was a blanket of twinkling lights that lit their walk home.  
  
“You didn’t tell me this place had such amazing steak! Man, American restaurants know how to cook meat. I don’t know if I can go back to the normal steak skewers after that.” Chie was walking on air as she pressed her body against his. It made it much harder to walk, but Yu certainly didn’t mind.  
  
“I’m glad you liked it. When I first heard they were building a new restaurant for American food I knew I had to take you.” His free hand slipped into his jacked and found the box once more. His heart skipped a beat as he grasped the box and glanced at Chie.  
  
“So… you found it huh? Interesting, I seem to recall you saying Naoto found it.” Chie gave him a side glance and it took every ounce of Yu’s strength to not react. He had been careless. The meal had relaxed him a little too well. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten your little show before dinner. The old me would have forgotten everything once you placed a steak in front of her, but I’ve been training you know!” To prove her point she softly pushed her fist into his chest while doing her signature cry.  
  
“Ah! You got me officer.” Yu staggered on his feet causing her to almost fall into him. “Well now that you have me what are you going to do?” He pulled her close and stared into her eyes.  
  
“Yu... you can’t just do that…” Her face had turned a bright pink as their eyes met. She wrapped her arm around him and lightly grasped his shirt. Yu gently pushed his fingers on her chin and slowly guided her upward. Their lips touched softly and he could feel Chie lean into him. Her body completely relaxed as he ran his hand through her hair. Yu didn’t count how long they stayed connected like that, but when they finally parted they were both breathing a little harder. “You should take me home…” She traced her finger along his back and her eyes seemed to sparkle. He really wanted to take her up on that offer, but there will be time for that later.  
  
“You know officer… you should be more careful.” Yu watched as her eyes narrowed, but it was too late. Her grip had already loosened. Yu escaped from her arms and sprinted towards the nearby park. He heard Chie yelp in surprise followed by the slapping of her shoes on the grass behind him.  
  
“Yu!” Her voice rang out behind him and he could tell that she was confused, but her voice was laced with her laughter. Yu quickly turned and ran up the nearby hill. He took a quick glance behind him and almost yelped. She was much faster than he remembered. As he reached the top of the hill he spun around just in time to see Chie leaping towards him.  
  
Chie’s body slammed into him and he almost lost his balance as his legs wobbled underneath him. His arms instinctively wrapped around her body and once his body had stopped swaying he grunted with effort before lifting her into the air and spinning her around once. Chie’s voice bubbled out from her as her laugh echoed through the surrounding area. As they came to a stop Chie’s hand ran up the back of Yu’s neck and pulled him down into a deep kiss.  
  
“You got me again.” He smiled down at the energetic young woman and he swore she was glowing. He took a step back from her but took her hands in his. “You know this is my favorite place in Inaba.” Chie gave him a surprised look before taking a moment to identify where he had lead her.  
  
“Oh! I didn’t even realize we had ended up here.” She smiled at him, but she was clearly confused. “Why here? I would have thought the Dojima house or maybe even the Junes Food Court.” Yu couldn’t help but laugh.  
  
“No that last one is your favorite place.” She pushed him gently and rolled her eyes.  
  
“You think you are so funny.” He smiled, but he was suddenly having a hard time speaking. He had no reason to panic, and yet… the way the night light played off her hair, it made her breathtaking. He wanted to put his feelings into words, but nothing seemed to fit. “Um, hey there space cadet, you doing okay?” Yu almost jumped as he was brought out of his own thoughts.  
  
“The first time we were here was five years ago.” Well at least he could talk again, “We watched fireworks together with everyone else, but you know I only saw half of the show.” Chie raised an eyebrow and it looked like she was about to speak, but Yu shook his head. “Part way through the show you took my hand. No one noticed back then, which was surprising because I spent the rest of the show looking only at you.”  
  
“Y-Yu…” her face was a bright shade of pink and she quickly dropped her gaze to the floor. His nerves relaxed as he watched her squirm. She was always head strong and she had grown confidant over the years, but when it came to him she still had a hard time not getting embarrassed.  
  
“We had only been dating for a short while, but that was the night I knew I wanted you by my side for the rest of my life.” Yu slipped his hand into his pocket and finally pulled the small box out into the open air. Falling to one knee in front of her was surprisingly the most natural thing he had ever done. She stared down at him, her eyes wide open in surprise. He stopped himself from laughing at her expression. She had known that something was up yet she couldn’t figure out that this was where it was heading. He supposed she would always be dense about certain things. “Chie, at the place where I first fell in love with you, will you marry me?”  
  
“Yu I-“ The box popped open and the starlight reflected off the gem inside. He smiled up at her and he couldn’t stop his mind from quickly flashing through every variation of ‘no’ that she could say. He tried to banish the thoughts, but as the silence between them continued the visions became brighter and more frequent.  
  
“If you need time to think I can-“ Chie shook her head and he saw tears fall down her cheeks as she looked back at him. Her lips were turned up into to a big smile as she thrust her left hand towards him.  
  
“What are you waiting for? Put that ring on my finger!” Her voice was a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She was shaking, but it was clear she was simply trying to stop herself from leaping on top of him. He had to steady himself as he slipped the ring out of the box. It took more than one try to get the ring around her finger, but once he had calmed his nerves the ring fit perfectly. Yu smiled as he pulled his fingers away and he looked up at her. Before he could get a good look at his new fiancé’s face her lips were on his.  
  
_ _ _  
  
Naoto sat on her hotel bed with her back against the wall. She opened another article on her computer as she took another sip of coffee. She hadn’t had much love for the drink when she was younger, but as she had gotten older she had found that she needed something to help her keep going. She scrolled through the article for several minutes before she finally found what she was looking for.  
  
‘High School Student Admits to Being a Phantom Thief’  
  
“I knew it.” Naoto set her cup aside as she scanned the rest of the story. She knew she had heard the name Joker before. To be more specific she knew that name had been important recently. The Phantom Thieves had been in the news for about a year straight. She had been asked to come look into the case, but when she heard the young detective Goro Aketchi was already working the case, she decided to let him have the spotlight. She stopped reading when she found what she was looking for. A name.  
  
‘The young man was attending Shujin Academy before he was caught. 16 year old Akira Kurusu was supposedly caught and had committed suicide only a few months ago. He admitted to faking his death and escaping from the authorities on his own. Why the Phantom Thief has decided to turn himself in now, no one can say.’  
  
Naoto smiled as she wrote the name down. She couldn’t wait to speak to ‘Joker’ once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously mentioned I love Persona 4 and 5. While playing through 5 I wondered how the Investigation team would react to meeting the Phantom Thieves so hopefully we can explore that idea together! I'll try to update this story a frequently as possible, but with work and a few other side projects I have, this may take some time. Sorry about any delays!


	3. The Thieves Den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira returns to Leblanc and prepares to tell the thieves his plan for the rest of the summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Sorry it took so long to get this out! To make up for it I made this chapter a bit longer than the others. Hope you enjoy!

The old back allies of Yongen hadn’t changed one bit since Akira’s departure. The same people stood outside speaking to each other and the same faded signs still swung above the small stores dotting the surrounding area. On any other day Akira would be drinking in the atmosphere and enjoying his return to his old haunt.  
  
Akira stalked through the back allies as the high sun beat down on him. The sweltering heat had already done a number on the retired Phantom Thief. The top several buttons of his shirt had been undone, and sweat stains lined his once pristine white shirt.  
  
Morgana had escaped Akira’s bag, which had become closer to an oven, and had taken refuge on his shoulder. What little relief this provided the small cat was offset by his jet black fur.  
  
Akira grabbed the collar of his shirt and attempted to fan his torso, but it had little effect. He checked on Morgana and found the poor cat had resorted to fanning himself with his tiny paw. He wanted to laugh, but nothing seemed particularly funny at this moment.  
  
The journey from Kyoto to Tokyo had been a longer one than either of them had remembered. The trip was made worse when the A/C on the train broke down, trapping the two of them inside a life-size toaster. They had both been so excited to see the other thieves, but now Akira had some other worries.  
  
“Crap…” Akira ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at his current state, “I can’t let Futaba see me like this.” He tried to straighten his increasingly wrinkled shirt, but he looked as disgusting as he had a moment before, hell he thought he looked even worse.  
  
“Futaba!? How can you think about Futaba at a time like this?” Morgana moaned pitifully, “How am I going to be able to look Lady Ann in the eye when I look like this…” Akira looked at his friend and frowned. He looked exactly the same as always except for how exhausted he looked. If anything, he was going to get more attention because of his weak state. Akira on the other hand looked like a drowned rat. “Besides Sojiro and I are the only ones who know you two are dating. I doubt she will even want to be near you anyway.” If that was the cat’s way of cheering him up he was doing a piss poor job of it.  
  
They finally arrived at the door to Leblanc. He would have allowed himself a moment to enjoy the feeling of being home once again, but the allure of cool air against his body was far too tempting. Without a moment of fan fair, Akira pushed open the door.  
  
The Café had changed slightly since he lived there. For once it was actually lively, there were a decent amount of people sitting at each booth, all having hushed conversations between themselves. The air still smelled of roasted coffee and mixed spices, a smell that had once permeated everything Akira had ever owned. The floors had recently been mopped and the tables had all been freshly wiped.  
  
“Well look what the cat dragged in. Literally.” A deep voice carried over the rest of the noise and Akira turned to meet the owner’s gaze.  
  
Sojiro Sakura stood behind the bar, leaning down with arms keeping him propped up. He smiled behind his thin frames and he still had the same confidence oozing out of every inch of his body. His face turned to a frown however, when he got a better look at Akira.  
  
“What happened to you? You look like someone threw you in a crock pot.” Akira reached up and pinched a strand of his hair as he tried not to think about his appearance too much.  
  
“The A/C on the train went out a few minutes into the trip.” Sojiro’s eyes widened with surprise and understanding.  
  
“Ah well. I suppose it can’t be helped then. Everyone is already upstairs waiting for you.” Sojiro gave him a sympathetic smile. He may have been less than enthusiastic about Akira’s relationship with his daughter, but Akira always got the feeling that he was hoping for things to work out. It was a confusing situation, but he was glad for the sympathy regardless.  
  
Akira nodded at Sojiro and made his way to the stairs in the back. As he reached the bottom he could already hear the voices of his friends carrying softly down from the attic. He smiled as he ascended the short stairway and he tried to hide as much of his horrible appearance as possible.  
  
“DUDE HE’S HERE!” Ryuji’s voice shattered the calm atmosphere as Akira rounded the final step.  
  
Akira’s old room was exactly how he remembered it. His small bed was made up in the corner, and the desk had been recently cleaned off. The bookshelf remained empty since he had cleared it earlier this year. His friends had pulled out the table and had set out several chairs around it.  
  
Ryuji sat on the couch while Ann stood beside him leaning against the small table that had once housed Akira’s old CRT TV. Yusuke and Haru had pulled up a small workbench and were sitting with their backs turned towards Akira, though they each had their heads turned back so that they could see him. Finally, Makoto and Futaba had found their home in two fold up chairs opposite of the couch. An empty fold out chair had been set at the other end of the room.  
  
The room erupted into a din of noise as they all shouted out their welcomes, but Akira missed most of them as his eyes met Futaba’s. She smiled sweetly at him and he gave her a warm smile in return. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but even if he didn’t look like he had been roasted over an open fire, they had both decided to keep things a secret for now.  
  
Futaba had always been shy about their relationship and the two of them were worried about what would happen to the group dynamic if everyone knew. Akira suddenly had a vision of Ryuji giving him a long-winded speech about betrayal while Yusuke attempted to convince him that he needed a nude painting of them together.  
  
“Dude come sit over-“ Ryuji was pointing at the open spot next to him on the couch when Ann unceremoniously dropped down next to Ryuji and Akira swore he saw her jab her elbow into his stomach.  
  
“Why don’t you sit in the open chair at the head of the table?” Akira smiled weakly, unsure of what just happened, and made his way over to his newly chosen seat. As he did Morgan softly leapt onto the table and made his way over to Ann. Akira dropped his bag onto the floor before taking his seat. As he began to relax Futaba pulled her chair closer and gave him a worried look.  
  
“You two look horrible, what happened?” It looked like everyone had wanted to ask the same question as they were all suddenly looking between Akira and the collapsed cat on the table. Akira recounted his tale once more and his friends cringed as he tried to fan himself once more. A brief silence passed as he finished his tale.  
  
“Well you are here now and we have the A/C running hard, so I’m sure you will be back to normal in no time.” Makoto’s attempts to lift his spirts were kind, but he found the cool air to be a much better motivator.  
  
“I think you would make for a perfect painting.” Yusuke’s hands were held up and had Akira framed between his fingers. “The Struggles of Man.” Akira hated to admit it, but he had missed Yusuke’s oddly positive outlook on things.  
  
“Some things never change.” Ann smiled as she leaned onto the table. Haru giggled as Yusuke seemed to be unmoved by the rest of the group’s groans.  
  
“Man forget all that! Akira is back! We should be celebrating.” Ryuji practically stood out of his seat as he spoke.  
  
“He’s right. We’ve all been looking forward to being together again.” Haru’s call to action was slightly undercut by her continuous fight against the giggles.  
  
“Actually, I have a bit of an idea about all that.” Morgana seemed to have finally been able to pull himself out of his funk as he was now wrapped in a ball with his head resting on his paws. “We’ve found some very interesting information that we think you will all want to hear.” Morgana turned to look at Akira.  
  
Akira’s gut reaction was to correct Morgana. When had ‘we’ ever worked on anything? It had been Akira who had done all of the research after all. Akira’s eyes wondered to Ann however and he sighed. His friend was simply trying to show off and who was he to judge him for that. After all he… Akira gave a sidelong look at Futaba and allowed himself a small smile. Yeah it wasn’t like he didn’t want to show off as well.  
  
“Ever since we left Morgana and I have been working on a new mission. Operation: Morgana is Human.” Akira let the words sink in as everyone’s gaze turned to him and then back to the cat.  
  
“Um did you hit your head man?” Ryuji gave Akira a confused look, “Morgana is a cat.” Morgana’s eyes narrowed, but apparently Akira’s feline friend was too tired to act on his rage. Akira shook his head before he continued.  
  
“Well sure he is a cat for now, but I started to wonder, what if there was something about the Metaverse that we didn’t know? I mean think about it, before it disappeared there was still a lot of things that we only had conjectured about.”  
  
“I think I see where you are going. What if there was something that could change Morgana into a person and it existed within the Metaverse. It’s a good theory, but the Metaverse is gone. Even if it did exist it doesn’t anymore.” Makoto’s chin was firmly resting in her hand as she spoke, an old habit of hers.  
  
“True enough, but I think Akira has a point. We didn’t know everything about the Metaverse so how can we be sure it has been completely destroyed?” Akira was surprised, but happy, to see that Yusuke was already on his wavelength about this.  
  
“Woah! Inari can be surprisingly intelligent!” Futaba’s words rang with sudden shock as she stared wide eyed at the resident artist.  
  
“What do you mean surprisingly!?” Yusuke huffed as he stared at his nemesis.  
  
“Anyway why don’t we let Akira continue?” Ann had raised her voice as she tried to gain control of the room. Akira nodded at her before continuing.  
  
“Yusuke had the right of it. We don’t even know when the Metaverse was created or if there were other ways to get in the Metaverse. Morgana was able to leave it without the phone app so there must be another way in and out right?”  
  
“Um that’s a good thought, but where do we even start looking?” Haru’s voice was a bit louder than Akira remembered. Apparently, she had gained some confidence while he had been away.  
  
“Actually, I’ve already got a starting place for us. I started by looking for other strange instances that have occurred over the last few years. I came across a few potential leads, but nothing substantial. My most promising lead was a collection of incidents that happened several years back on Tatsumi Port Island, but I couldn’t link any of them.” Akira shook his head in frustration. He had done a lot of research on that particular lead, but anytime he felt like he was closing in on a solid theory the evidence he needed just wasn’t there. It was honestly like someone had gone through and deleted all the connecting information, but anytime he thought of it that way he just felt paranoid.  
  
“I wish you would have asked for my help…” Futaba pouted as she looked at him. He had considered asking for her help, but she had seemed so busy recently and her foray back to school seemed to have been exhausting her. He wanted to be her strength, not a constant source of problems. Plus he didn’t want her to get involved, especially with his other problem still dangling over his head.  
  
“I would have, but I wanted to have something substantial before I came to any of you with this theory.” He gave her a weak smile, but he knew he would have to make it up to her somehow. Maybe after everyone left he could give her some much needed attention… FOCUS! He ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to get his mind back on track. Usually Akira could lock on to whatever he needed to and focus on it until his task was complete. When Futaba was involved however, his mind tended to betray him.  
  
“I agree with Futaba. You could have asked any of us to help. You know we would have done anything we could to aid you.” Makoto gave him a stern look and Akira couldn’t help but pull on a strand of his hair.  
  
“I understand how you feel, but like I said this was all just a theory. I wanted to make sure I had something to back it up before I brought it up. I promise to keep you guys informed from now on.” He gave the group an apologetic look.  
  
“Man it’s not like it’s a big deal or anything. I know you guys wish you were part of this, but that’s just who Akira is. We can give him crap later because I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have brought this up if the story was going to end with: I didn’t find shit.” Ryuji had always had a way with words. Akira chuckled at his friend and silently thanked him for motioning him to continue. There was a reason that Akira thought of Ryuji as one of his closest friends.  
  
“Like I was saying, every lead a dead end. That is until I found several articles about a strange set of murders a few years back.” That caught everyone’s attention. “I started looking into it simply because anything strange could have something to do with the Metaverse, but I found something far more interesting.” Akira could feel the corner of his mouth turn up into a smirk. “This took place five years ago in a small town called Inaba.”  
  
“That names sounds familiar for some reason…” Ryuji scratched his nose and furrowed his brow.  
  
“It all started when two women were found hanging from some powerlines. It was a strange set of circumstances especially since neither victim had any evidence as to how they were killed. What followed was a string of disappearances over the course of several months.”  
  
“Hey wait, this does sound familiar.” Ann was lightly biting her thumb as she was trying to grasp at some thread, but Akira could see her memory was currently failing her.  
  
“Now disappearances are one thing, but the strangest thing is that every single person that went missing suddenly showed back up perfectly fine a few days or weeks later. Then there are some accounts that these kids started seeing each other on a regular basis.” Makoto’s eyes lit up and she stared wide eyed at Akira before glancing around the room. Akira pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he watched the gears in Makoto’s brain begin to spin at top speed.  
  
“It wasn’t just the Metaverse we didn’t completely understand…” Makoto’s voice surprised the rest of the group and they quickly turned back towards her. “They were Persona users!” There was a stunned silence as Makoto came to the same conclusion Akira had.  
  
“Woah! If there are other Persona users they could know a different way into the Metaverse!” Futaba’s feet almost slipped off her chair as she failed to contain her excitement.  
  
“Exactly.” Akira rested his head into his hand as he tried not to be too smug. “The best part about all this though, was that I was able to find the names of these people. Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi, Rise Kujikawa-“  
  
“RISE KUJIKAWA!” Both Ann and Ryuji yelled the name in tandem as Ryuji was suddenly standing.  
  
“The actress and singer! Dude she is so hot!” Ryuji pumped his fist in the air and Akira had to stop himself from laughing. “Dude I knew I had heard this story before! It was big news when she quit and left for Inaba!”  
  
“I own all her music! She is so cool!” Ann’s eyes were practically sparkling. “I found ever piece of information I could on her as I got more into my modeling career!”  
  
“Perhaps we should let Akira finish?” Haru smiled as she stared at the two fans. Yusuke however, seemed to be enjoying himself as he framed the two of them within his fingers.  
  
“I should do a painting of you two. Your passion is remarkable.” Yusuke had a very calm smile across his face as he considered his new proposal.  
  
“Wha-what!? No way you are putting me in the same painting as Ryuji. “  
  
“Hey what is that supposed to mean.” Ryuji stared down at Ann as she turned away. Akira could have sword he saw Ann’s cheeks turn pink.  
  
“Anyway.” Akira pulled the room’s attention once more and he saw Ann give him a brief smile. “The last person is Naoto Shirogane.”  
  
“The detective?” Makoto asked surprised and Akira nodded. “I think she’s worked with Sae a few times. If I remember correctly my sister is quite the fan.”  
  
“I could see that.” Akira laughed, “Well after Naoto suddenly reappeared a little girl was kidnapped. Naoto and the others showed up at the hospital a few nights later with the girl. Then only a few weeks later Naoto delivered the murderer to the police.” Akira let that sink in as he watched the other thieves begin to catch up to where Makoto and were. “There are reports of others working with them, especially in an article that details a concert that Rise put on at the local Junes, but there was no mention of their names anywhere. It would make sense if there were others however, if you take the disappearances into account.”  
  
“Then we have a way to learn more!” Haru was louder than normal and she held her left hand over her heart. “We should contact them and ask for more information!” Akira smiled partly because he had already done so, but also because they had finally gotten to the real reason he hadn’t told the rest of the thieves he was looking into this.  
  
“Actually, I have already contacted Naoto.” The room was silent as they waited for him to continue, and excited air seemed to buzz around the room. “I should explain however, that I don’t think we can go to them for much more. Naoto did seem to know more than she was letting on but…”  
  
“What’s wrong?” Futaba’s voice was soft and he could hear the hints of concern slipping into her words.  
  
“The police are still keeping an eye on me.” A loud bang echoed through the room as Ryuji slammed his fist down on the table.  
  
“WHAT! That’s bullshit!” Ann’s hand reached up and gently grasped his arm.  
  
“Ryuji calm down!” She was clearly trying to mask her own anger as well. Despite her words her free hand was clenched and her knuckles were white.  
  
“This is outrageous, we proved your innocence with the help of Nijima-san!” Yusuke was standing as well, but he was doing a much better job at handling his emotions.  
  
Akira was about to speak when he felt his hand suddenly wrapped in something else. He turned to see Futaba’s small hand holding his. Her left hand was covering her mouth as she looked terrified. Akira sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He briefly wondered when he had picked up that particular habit.  
  
“This is why I tried to keep you guys out of this until I knew it was worth it. I don’t want you guys to get caught up in my past reputation. That’s also why I don’t want to get these other Persona users involved. The more people that get into contact with me, the harder their lives become.” The other thieves remained quiet for a long time as Akira scratched his head.  
  
“We can’t let this stop us now.” Morgana had pushed himself to his feet and was now standing in the center of the table. “Akira has already talked to Shirogane and we have a solid lead. We believe that if we go visit Inaba we may actually find a clue about how to make me human. We just need to keep our heads down and everything will be fine.”  
  
Akira had said the same thing to Morgana earlier, but he had clearly forgotten his own advice the moment the others had gotten involved. He had never wanted to put the others in danger, but Morgana was right. If he didn’t want to put them in danger he never would have let any of them be Phantom Thieves in the first place, nor would he have contacted Naoto. It was their choice to get involved, and it’s not like he could stop them even if he wanted to.  
  
“He’s right. As much as I wish they would stop following me, the only way to help Morgana is to keep pushing forward.” Akira nodded to himself as he re-affirmed his conviction. “I was thinking we could leave at the end of this week and go stay in Inaba for a few days. I know it’s sudden so if you guys can’t go I-“  
  
“We’re going.” The words rang throughout the room as the retired thieves stared at their previous leader. Akira would be lying if he said that he wasn’t moved. He reached up and pulled another strand of his hair.  
  
“Thanks guys. Well I guess we need to look for a place to stay once we get there. It’s going to be expensive with the train ride and the cost of the living. I’ve been working some odd jobs so I should be able to afford a few of us, but help would be appreciated.”  
  
“Wait you have been working and investigating this? You have been keeping up with your studies, right?” There was an edge to Makoto’s voice and Akira could see bodily harm was in his future if he didn’t answer correctly.  
  
“Yes, it’s just been a bit harder than normal. No need to worry, I’m still top of the class.”  
  
“What the eff man! There is no way you can keep doing all these things and keep up with your grades.” Ryuji looked like he had suffered a serious betrayal.  
  
“Just because you’re an idiot doesn’t mean everyone else has to be.” Ann almost choked on her glass of water as Ryuji stared down at the offending cat.  
  
“You know maybe we should just go on a vacation and forget the cat here.” Morgana flicked his tail back and forth, looking rather uninterested at Ryuji’s comments.  
  
To be completely honest, without Morgana, Akira’s grades would have slipped. He had been running himself pretty ragged over the last few months, and if Morgana hadn’t been hiding in his desk reminding him about test dates and quizzes, he would have let his grades drop for sure.  
  
“Futaba, I do believe you can let go of his hand now.” Yusuke said absentmindedly as he slipped a small package of snacks from his pocket.  
  
Akira looked down and saw that their hands were still intertwined with one another. Their eyes met and she almost jumped clear out of her chair, her hand shooting back to her chest.  
  
“Shut up Inari! I was just trying to make him feel better is all!” Her face was a bright red as she clutched the offending hand against her body. Akira laughed as he looked around the room. He had forgotten what being around his friends had felt like. It felt like home.  
  
_ _ _  
  
“Don’t forget to prepare for the trip!” Makoto yelled out as Yusuke and Haru walked down the stairs, back into the café. Ryuji and Ann were gathering their things and preparing to leave as well. “We should meet here tomorrow morning. We have a lot to discuss about our new plans.”  
  
“Dude we should get sushi tomorrow!” Ryuji had stopped grabbing his things as he looked around the room for approval.  
  
“Um what does that have to do with our trip? Also, shouldn’t we be saving money?” Makoto shook her head and Ryuji frowned.  
  
“Don’t worry I’m sure we will find some great food in Inaba.” Ann pat his back and Ryuji scratched the back of his head.  
  
“Yeah I suppose so. Well we better get out of here. You coming Futaba?” Ryuji’s eyes met hers and Akira watched as her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.  
  
“Um I have a few things I want to talk to Akira about before I head home.” Her eyes dropped to the floor as her hands began to fidget.  
  
“Oh? Yeah, I suppose there are a few things we could talk about before we head out. What did you have-“ Ann’s elbow was suddenly in Ryuji’s stomach. He doubled over as she wrapped her arm around his.  
  
“Come on we’ll miss the train if we don’t hurry.” Ann started dragging Ryuji to the stair case.  
  
“Actually I agree with Ryuji, I could still use some clarification on-“ Ann’s hand wrapped around Makoto’s and she began to drag the previous student council president down the stairs as well.  
  
“Come on! We are going to be late. I’m sure they will tell us later if it’s important.” Akira swore he saw Ann wink at him before she disappeared downstairs.  
  
“Well I guess that leaves just the three of us.” Akira said as he looked for Morgana. Their friend was nowhere to be found. “When did-“  
  
Before Akira could finish his sentence, Futaba’s lips were on his. He had no clue when she had left her chair, but he didn’t really care. He pulled her close as he wrapped his arms around her back. She clumsily climbed onto his lap as they desperately tried to keep their lips connected. His hands slipped gently up her back and into her hair.  
  
They stayed that way for some time before they finally separated. She rested her forehead as he brushed his hand across her cheek. Their heavy breathing was the only sound echoing in the room.  
  
“So, did you miss me? I can’t tell.” Futaba giggled and she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
“Well we can stay like this until you figure it out.” Futaba said sweetly.  
  
“So… Ann knows. When did that happen?” Akira asked and he watched his girlfriend turn a bright red.  
  
“Well I needed some advice about um…” Futaba buried her face into his shoulder. “I needed some advice about how to be sexy for you.” The words spilled out of her mouth and her grip tightened on him. Akira smiled and pat her head gently.  
  
“So, you started asking questions and she put two and two together.” Futaba nodded but kept her face hidden. “Well you didn’t need to ask for advice. You are the sexiest woman I know.” He slid his hand under her chin and guided her up to his lips again. Her face was bright red, but she had a big smile spreading across her face. “Do you think we should tell the others? I mean we could actually hold hands if we did.”  
  
“N-n-not yet…” Akira ran his hand across her cheek and smiled.  
  
“If you say so.” He gently pressed his lips against hers and she melted into him.  
  
_ _ _  
  
Akira watched Futaba walk out of the café before he returned back upstairs. Morgana never did come back to the room, but the silence was welcome. The summer wind wafted into the room and Akira stretched. It was nice to be home again.  
  
A loud ringing made Akria jump as his head started to swivel around. He finally realized the noise was coming from his pocket and he quickly pulled his phone out into the open air. An unknown number showed on his screen. Akira shrugged and let it go to voicemail. He started to change his clothes when the phone rang again.  
  
Unknown Number – You should pick up Joker.  
  
Akira didn’t have time to be surprised before his phone began to ring. He pinched a strand of hair in his fingers as he stared down at the phone.  
  
“Damn it…” He had a feeling he knew who it was and he realized he had messed up. Akira slid his finger across the screen and lifted it to his ear.  
  
“Good Evening Akira Kurusu. I think we should have a chat.”


	4. Cat and Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naoto has finally made her move and contacted Joker. Can Joker keep up with the once Prince Detective?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a long time. Sorry guys I know almost three weeks is a long time to wait, but I wanted this to come out just right. I'm not sure I got it to feel exactly how I wanted it too, but I think you guys will enjoy this chapter none the less. Part 5 will be coming out much sooner!

Naoto leaned against her hotel room’s wall as she adjusted the phone against her ear. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the coffee cup sitting on the nearby nightstand. She allowed herself a quick sip as she patiently waited for a reply.

A quite sigh passed through the other side of the phone and Naoto smirked to herself. She hadn’t meant to treat the young thief as an opponent, but she was having too much fun.

“Detective. It seems I was careless in assuming that you would drop this as I asked during our last conversation.” His voice was as calm and cool as before, but Naoto could sense something else slipping into his words.

“Well Akira I –“

“Joker.”

“Ah yes of course. Joker, I do apologize, but you were asking me some very interesting questions. What did you expect to happen?” Naoto let the satisfaction wash over her as she waited for his response. Their last conversation Joker had controlled the flow of things, but now she had him on the back foot.

“Clearly, I have made a mistake detective, however if you have called simply to gloat about your impressive ability to re-dial a number and use the internet, I’m afraid I will have to end this delightful conversation early.” Naoto unintentionally laughed and had to cover her mouth with her free hand. Just like that he had taken control back; Akira Kurusu was quite the sparring partner. Naoto wasn’t about to let him back her into a corner however.

“Now Mr. Kurusu I think you know I wouldn’t call you unless I had something important to talk about.” She was expecting some sort of disapproval from her casual use of his last name, to her surprise however, he simply laughed.

“You are rather confidant that I am this Akira Kurusu, but what proof do you have detective?” She had been prepared for this question, but the amount of confidence in his voice still threw her off balance. He really did remind her of Yu.

“The phone you are currently speaking on belongs to Mr. Kurusu. When we last spoke you were in Kyoto, but according to your current GPS location you are now in Tokyo. Where Mr. Kurusu’s family lives and where he went to school for a year respectively.” She was ready for the next obvious question, but she was personally hoping that Akira would simply admit that he was who she believed him to be. Not to say that this wasn’t fun, but Naoto really didn’t have any desire to use her trump card.

“I see. I could have stolen his phone and there are thousands of people that live in Kyoto and Tokyo, perhaps I’m simply a thief who travels from place to place. Besides the information of Akira Kurusu is available to the public, anyone, including myself, could find that knowledge.” The argument was weak at best, however he was correct on one point at least. She technically couldn’t prove that it was him.

Naoto’s research on Akira Kurusu had given her a pretty good idea about who the young man was. A video had been posted by the phantom thieves a few months prior showing all the members of their group, even if they were all hidden behind shadows. Yet despite their number being known, Akira was they only one to turn himself in. So, either he had a sudden surge of guilt or he chose to turn himself in for the sake of the others. If he was as much like Yu as she thought he was, the reason he did it was obvious. Which made her decision to use her trump card that much more painful.

“I suppose you are correct. I can’t prove that you are indeed Akira Kurusu, but there are others close to him that I can speak to. I suppose if I really wish to find Mr. Kurusu I can always start with…” She hesitated for a moment. She knew that if she was correct about Akira’s feelings towards the other thieves then this next move may drive him further away and there was a good chance he would never forgive her. Hell, maybe she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. She sighed and resigned herself before continuing. “I can always start with Ann Takamaki, Ryuji Sakamoto, Yusuke Kitagawa, Futaba-“

“Enough!” His voice was commanding, but surprisingly quite. Naoto didn’t have to see the young man to know he was currently seething. She could feel her stomach drop out from under her. She heard him sigh and another long pause passed between them. “Fine Detective. My name is Akira Kurusu and you are correct that I was once a phantom thief. The others you have just named however, have nothing to do with my time as a phantom thief nor do they have anything to do with this current conversation.” She had him on the back foot once more, but she didn’t feel happy about it. If someone had called her up and essentially threatened her friends… well she would probably have handled it much worse than Mr. Kurusu had.

“Forgive me Mr. Kurusu, I should not have brought others into this. I simply needed to-“

“What you needed was to push me into giving you what you wanted and you decided that using others was the best way to do it.” His voiced was coated in venom and she felt a hot flash of shame wash over her. It had been too long since she had taken on a truly interesting case and she had become impatient. If the others had been around to see her… if Yu had seen what she had just done…

“You are right. That was an overly cruel thing for me to do. I have become impatient in recent years and I have no excuse for what I just did.” She pressed her finger against her temple as she waited for his response.

“I… well I’m going to be honest with you detective, I wasn’t expecting such a sincere apology. Though I suppose you could just be saying what I want to hear, but I’ve known enough rotten people to know when someone is lying.” She heard the soft creak of springs on the other end of the phone. He most likely had just sat down on a bed. “Fine, what do you want. As you stated previously, you have a reason for contacting me.”

“Indeed. You mentioned a very interesting topic last we spoke, several in fact. I would like to know what you will do with that information.” She slid down to the floor and crossed her legs as she continued to lay against the wall.

“I see, well in that case you may put your fears to rest. I am simply trying to help my friend.”

“You must forgive me for not taking you at your word.”

“So, what? I can’t prove anything, what was the point of this call detective?” Finally, they had arrived at the topic at hand.

“Well Mr. Kurusu I have a solution. One that will be helpful to not only me, but you as well.”

“Do tell detective. You have clearly shown that you are only looking out for me.” Another pang of guilt gripped her chest, but she shoved it off. She couldn’t allow herself to be swayed, not when she had come so far. As much as the young man reminded her of Yu, he was still a criminal, or at least he used to be. She still needed to know what he was up too. The last thing this world needed was another Adachi.

“If my hypothesis is correct, you will be traveling to Inaba soon and it just so happens that I will also be in Inaba within the next few days. I think it would benefit us both if we met and swapped notes.” A brief laugh slipped through the phone.

“Swap notes? Detective please just be honest with me. You simply wish to keep your eyes on me. You may know a few things, but I already have enough people following-“ He suddenly stopped mid-sentence as he seemed to catch himself. Naoto’s hand slid up to her chin. Now that was interesting. He was being followed? “How would meeting you help me?” His tone was calm, but he sounded tired.

“Like you Mr. Kurusu, I happen to know several others who have experience… showing their true selves.” The lack of reaction surprised her.

“Ah I see, you wouldn’t happen to be speaking of Yukiko Amagi or perhaps Kanji Tatsumi? No maybe you are referring to the idol Rise Kujikawa?” She almost dropped her phone. She had underestimated him. She had assumed he had called her because of her connection to the cases, but he had also noticed the pattern of the previous kidnapping victims. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to think of how to respond. “I have a hunch there are others as well, but unfortunately their names were omitted from the papers.”

“Very clever Mr. Kurusu, yes I was indeed speaking of them and you are correct in your assumption. There are a few others and I am sure that we can all share our story if you are willing to share yours.” She wanted to be angry with him, but he had simply retaliated to her previous threat. She certainly deserved it, but if he tried to press that particular button again, the young student would find that Naoto Shirogane was a very dangerous opponent.

“Fine.” His sudden agreement shook her almost as much as his previous deductions.

“Just like that? We have had a less than agreeable conversation until now, so what has suddenly changed your mind?”

“Simple. I need to go to Inaba. I wasn’t lying about having someone who needs my help and no matter what you do, you can’t stop me from helping them.” His words had a sense of finality to them and she imagined that if she were to be standing in front of him, she would be feeling an immense amount of pressure. “However, our lives would be much easier if I didn’t have you following me around and watching every single move I made, and as much as I hate to admit it, you may actually have some information that I need. So yes, I will meet up with you.” Naoto smiled. He was certainly clever, but he wasn’t as dangerous as he was attempting to make her believe. After all, he said ‘our lives would be much easier’. They may not be getting along very well at the moment, but he was still subconsciously trying to help.

“Good. Now I don’t know your exact plans, but I have already arranged for several rooms to be prepared for you and your friends at the Amagi Inn. They will be prepared by Monday next week, so please be ready to leave by then. I will contact you again once you arrive at the inn.”

“Oh? That is awfully generous of you detective, but what makes you think that we will be in Inaba next week? Perhaps we won’t be ready by then.”

“You have had over a week to research everything you need to know about Inaba. You arrived in Tokyo earlier today so it is easy to assume that you will speak to your friends soon, if you haven’t already. Based on our interactions I have concluded that you are a man of action. You would not rest on your laurels if there was something to be done. So, I can only conclude that you are already finalizing your plans to leave. I would assume that you would be leaving sooner, but I have given you extra time to get your affairs in order. You are only high school students after all.” She couldn’t hear anything from the other end of the phone, but she had the feeling that her conversation partner was slightly annoyed with her at this very moment.

“You are far more dangerous than you let on detective. Fine we will meet you in a week, oh and detective?” his voice hardened on the last words, “If you ever threaten anyone else I care about I promise you will find out just how dangerous I am.” She felt ice wrap around her heart as the words stabbed into her. Naoto had to take back her previous assessment of Joker. He was most likely as dangerous as he wanted her to believe.

“I wouldn’t dream of it Mr. Kurusu.” Naoto had been in enough interrogations to know how to keep her cool even when someone like Joker was threatening her.

“Well if this conversation is over then I will take my leave.” Naoto sighed and was slowly removing her phone from her ear when she heard his voice once more, “Oh! I know you have been listening in so if you can, sneak back over. Clearly we have a lot to talk about.”

“I… what are you-“

“Not you detective. Good night.” She could practically hear the smirk crawl across his face. He just couldn’t resist throwing her off one last time. Naoto pulled the phone away once more and ended the call.

That hadn’t gone as well as she had hoped. If anything, he most likely thought of her as an enemy now and would be approaching them as cautiously as possible. That had not been her intention when she picked up the phone earlier. She would have to think of a way to apologize to him.

Naoto shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of her thoughts. She may have done something she wasn’t proud of, but the Phantom Thieves were an unknown quantity. If they truly did possess Personas then they could be dangerous. She had to remain cautious even if they thought she was the enemy.

Deep down Naoto really wanted to trust them. No, to be more accurate she wanted to trust him. Their brief conversations had reminded her of Yu so much that it was almost like being around him again. It had reminded her of Inaba and her friends. Naoto smiled as she pulled up her contacts. It was late, but she knew most of them would be awake anyway. She quickly swept through the list picking out each name with precision.

Naoto paused before she passed her newest contact. The name ‘Joker’ seemed to stand out on her phone, even though she knew it was the same font and size as the rest. Naoto ran her fingers through her hair and she considered changing the name. She had, after all, confirmed his true identity, but she still hesitated for some reason. She decided to leave the name as it was for now. She had a feeling that Joker was a far more accurate name for her new ‘friend’.

As Naoto began to compose her message to her friends, her mind wandered back to Joker. She smiled as she thought of his parting words. He wanted to leave her with a lasting impression and his implication that someone else was listening in on their conversation, and that he knew the whole time, should be chilling. Instead she found herself laughing. The Phantom Thieves were certainly going to be an interesting group.

_ _ _

Akira sat alone in his room as he stared at his phone. The call had ended a short while ago, but his mind was still racing. He had been too excited about the prospect of a lead. His eagerness and impatience had put his friends in danger. He buried his face in his hand and softly rubbed his eyes. What had he done? Something soft slid across his cheek and he instinctively leaned into it.

As he moved his hand away from his face, his eyes fell upon the most relaxing sight he had ever seen. Futaba held his cheek in her right hand as she gently smiled at him. She moved slowly towards him and he let their lips connect. Her warmth was comforting and he felt his emotions slowly begin to come under his control again.

Their lips parted and he heard a pleased sigh escape from her lips. She removed her hand from his cheek and took a seat next to him on his bed. She leaned into him and placed her head on his shoulder.

“I shouldn’t have gotten you guys involved.” He felt the words leave him before he could stop himself.

“Don’t say that.” Futaba punched his ribs softly, “Remember the last time you tried to do something like this on your own? We spent the next several months trying to get you out of jail. No matter what you do, we will get involved, so stop trying to handle this on your own.” Akira smiled at the fiery red head and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “So that was Naoto Shirogane huh?” Akira sighed and nodded.

“She is far more interested in all of this than I thought she would be. She used to be in the news all the time, but over the past few years she’s slowed down. I thought that meant she was getting less interested in her work, but it was the opposite. She was simply looking for the most interesting things and I offered that up to her without thinking.”

“Well I mean you are a pretty emotional guy when your friends are involved.” Futaba nuzzled her head against his arm as she looked up at him. “You may appear calm all the time, but it’s actually pretty easy to rile you up.” Akira gave her a mischievous smirk and met her eyes.

“You would know all about that wouldn’t you?” He watched as her cheeks were suddenly dyed a light pink.

“Y-y-you’ve gained a few levels while you were gone boyfriend…” She bit her lips as he lowered his towards hers.

“Oh come now. I was sure you would be done by now.” Akira jumped and Futaba lurched forward causing her head to collide with Akira’s. The both separated and quickly began rubbing their foreheads as an all too cheery laugh filled the air.

Morgana shook as he leapt from the nearby window onto the bed with them. He jogged silently over to Futaba and leapt onto her lap.

“How long have you been there Morgana?” The cat lazily scratched the top of his head before responding.

“Long enough to know you had a rather interesting conversation with the detective again.” Akira frowned as he finally stopped rubbing his forehead.

“You could have come in you know… or at least let me know you were here.”

“And miss out on this wonderful moment? You wish.” The cat gave him a rather smug look and Akira briefly entertained the idea of shoving the cat in his bag for the evening.

“Well I suppose we should actually talk about the phone call…” Futaba gave Akira a guilty look and he had to admit he felt a bit guilty as well. His libido would have to wait. Far more pressing matters required his attention.

“I only heard half of the conversation so please fill me in on the rest.” Futaba absent mindedly reached down and began scratching behind Morgan’s ear. The motion seemed natural and they both seemed to enjoy the moment.

Akira smiled at the sight. Morgana certainly had a crush on Ann, but he was definitely closer with Futaba. The three of them had spent a countless number of days together just like this since Akira and Futaba had started dating. He felt a brief pang of sadness as he realized that if they were successful, and his friend became human, they would never have a moment like this again.

Akira took a short time to re-cap the conversation for Morgana, with Futaba adding in details here and there. Morgana nodded several times and stopped to ask a few questions, but he was far calmer about the situation than Akira had expected him to be. Perhaps he had rubbed off on the cat.

“I think it was a good idea to agree to meet her.” Futaba raised an eyebrow at the cat.

“Not like he had much choice. She could be working with the police and if he does anything suspicious they would most likely make things very difficult for him.” Morgana shook his head causing the tags on his collar to clink together several times.

“No, I don’t think she is working with the police. Especially since she is willing to talk about Personas. Even now no one else truly remembers what happened when the Metaverse bled into our world. It is highly unlikely that anyone without a Persona knows about or believes in the Metaverse.”

That was a pretty good point. Akira had tried to describe the Metaverse to a few people outside of the Phantom Thieves and most of them either couldn’t wrap their head around it or they accepted it might be real, but they were still skeptical.

“Well then why would she come after Akira like this? What, is she just bored?” Futaba threw her arms into the air clearly annoyed. Akira laughed as he watched his girlfriend cross her arms in a huff. She was cute when she got annoyed like this.

“I don’t think that was her intention. Or at least not entirely.” Akira said through his chuckles. “I think that it’s because she knows about Persona’s that she is so worried. If I’m right then she has seen the change that Persona users can bring about. So, it makes sense that she would be worried about us since a known criminal has that power.” A moment of silence passed between the three of them as Futaba fidgeted uncomfortably.

“I mean it makes sense but… well it doesn’t mean I have to like it. And she didn’t have to threaten you like that either!” He couldn’t disagree with her on that point. Though he wasn’t exactly proud of how he had basically done the same thing to the detective not minutes later.

“Well at this point I don’t think her motives matter much. We will meet up with her and her group and see what she has to say. If nothing we will get her off your back.” Morgan stretched as he spoke. He had a good point and it was late. Any more discussion of the matter could wait until they saw the rest of the thieves.

“You should get home Futaba. If Sojiro finds you out with me, at this hour, the detective will be the least of our worries.” Futaba pouted, but nodded at him. Akira smiled and let his lips gently brush against her forehead. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.”

_ _ _

Yu finished reading the message and sighed as he set his phone down on the nearby nightstand. Naoto had a tendency to get a little too excited when it came to mysterious cases and from the sounds of it, her eagerness may have angered this Akira Kurusu.

Chie’s hand gently caressed his chest as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He turned his head to see her smiling softly at him in the drops of moonlight drifting through the nearby window. The sight of her always seemed to calm him.

“What is bothering you my fiancé?” Chie put a strong emphasis on the last word as she pulled herself closer to him. Her body was warm against his skin and he had a hard time focusing as their eyes met.

“You are rather enjoying that new title. I don’t think you have called me by my name since I slipped that ring on your finger.” She gave him a rather mischievous grin.

“Oh, you know that isn’t true.” He felt his cheeks flush as remembered exactly how they had ended up in bed.

“You have a very fair point.” He brought his hand up and gently caressed the side of her face as he bent forward and pressed his lips against hers. She let out a pleased sigh and let him linger against her for a few moments. When they finally separated she laid her head against his chest.

“You never did say what was bothering you.” He ran his hand through her hair as he described the update he had just received from Naoto. “Wait so they are coming here in a week and she has most likely already pissed him off? We certainly have our work cut out for us.” She shook her head and sighed. “Naoto has been in plenty of interrogations, hell I’ve seen her in a few since I started working, she should know that intimidation doesn’t work nearly as well as cooperation.” She sighed as she reached up and softly slid her hand against his cheek.

She was right of course, Naoto did know better. She was massively intelligent and was generally a patient person. However, when her curiosity got the better of her she tended to be a bit too emotional.

“That is true, but this is the same woman who allowed herself to get kidnapped to try and solve a case.” Chie nodded in agreement.

“I suppose the only thing we can do is wait till we meet him with the others and hope things go well.” Yu pulled her tight against him and she let out another pleased sigh before a short yawn escaped her lips. “At least we get to see the others soon.” Chie softly breathed as she shifted her weight on him slightly.

“It’s been a long time since we have had the full group together. Not since Christmas I think…”

“I still can’t believe Naoto was the only one you told.” Chie giggled as she freed her left hand from between them and admired her ring. She was rather fond of the accessory and he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the sight of her wearing it.

“Well you and Yosuke are really close, and I couldn’t trust him to not slip up. Rise would have told everyone, the poor girl just gets so easily excited, and we still see Kanji on a regular basis. Can you imagine if he knew?” Chie’s body shook as she laughed, and she had to fight to breathe.

“He would have panicked the first time he saw us together!” She said through labored breathes.

“Yeah well I needed someone’s opinion on the ring and the only person I could trust to be quite was Naoto. Well, at least I thought I could. She almost blew the whole thing at dinner.” Chie snorted as Yu pressed his fingers to his forehead.

“You’re just lucky I wasn’t at the top of my game that night.”

“Please! It took you months to figure out I liked you.” Yu laughed as he watched Chie’s cheeks burn a bright pink and she buried her face into his chest.

“Well I just thought you were looking out for me you know! L-l-like a leader would! How was I supposed to know…” her voice was muffled as she squirmed against him. He kissed the top of her head and smiled.

“I like that about you though.” Chie pulled her head up and gave him a quizzical look. “You were so sure that I was interested in Yukiko that you were trying to give us every chance to be alone. It was cute. Though you completely missed how I would do everything I could to be alone with you instead.” Chie smiled and laid her head back down.

“I was just trying to make you happy. I didn’t realize it was because I liked you… well not until you helped me save that kid.” Yu ran his fingers through her hair before letting his arm wrap around her. She sighed and let out a loud yawn.

“Tired?” Yu asked as he fought back a yawn of his own. She nodded silently and squeezed her against his body. “It is late, maybe we should get some sleep.” He waited for a response, but after a few seconds he watched as her body shook and the low sound of her snoring echoed through the room.

Yu chuckled to himself before relaxing himself. He had always envied her ability to fall asleep like that.

His thoughts wondered to his friends and their upcoming meeting. He thought of breaking the news to everyone and the surprised looks on their faces. As Yu’s eyes closed he smiled and let his thoughts slowly play out in front of him. He hoped he would dream of Chie and the others.


	5. Thieves in Inaba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group arrives in Inaba and prepares themselves for the coming meeting.

Morgana peered out from his small bag. He took a paw and rubbed his bleary eyes gently. Once his vision focused he took a look around at his unfamiliar surroundings.

Morgana couldn’t remember when he fell asleep, but he must not have been out for too long considering the train was still moving at a good pace. There was a low murmur coming from the surrounding passengers, but most of them were staring out a window, reading a book, or following in his footsteps and sleeping.

Akira, whose lap Morgana currently occupied, was sound asleep. His head was leaned back and currently rested against the back of his chair. Futaba had slumped over in her slumber and her head was now resting comfortably on his shoulder. Somehow their hands had found each other and their fingers were currently locked together.

Morgana shook his head at the two. As much as Futaba said she wasn’t ready for everyone to know, she was doing a pretty bad job at hiding it.

“If you lay on him like that, everyone is going to find out.” Morgana whispered as he tried to stop himself from giggling. He quietly leapt from his hiding place and landed on the cool metal ground. He took a moment to shake his body in an attempt to wake not only his mind, but his muscles as well. He looked forward to the day he no longer had to sleep in a small bag. Hopefully that day wouldn’t be too far off.

His eyes wandered over to the seats across the aisle and found Yusuke wide awake. He was sitting in the chair closest to the aisle and he currently held a pad of paper in his left hand. His right hand seemed to dance across the page as his pencil gently scratched against the surface of the paper.

Morgana stretched his front legs one last time before he took a quick look up and down the aisle. Once he confirmed that no one was coming or going he sauntered over to Yusuke and hopped up into the empty seat beside him.

“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Yusuke said as Morgana landed beside him. “Though I do wish you would have stayed in Akira’s lap a tad longer. It would have added another layer to the picture.” Morgana cocked his head before peering at what Yusuke was drawing.

It was readily apparent why Yusuke had chosen to sit one row ahead of everyone else. A detailed sketch of the seats behind him, showed the other Phantom Thieves in their current seats. Akira and Futaba looked exactly like how he had left them. Makoto had her head pressed against the nearby window while Haru held a book open in her right hand. Lady Ann-

Morgana nearly choked and had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing an illusion or that he wasn’t still asleep.

“Why would you draw Lady Ann like that!” Morgana’s voice cracked as he leapt up onto the top of the nearby chair. A few chairs ahead he could see Ann laying back against her head rest and that monkey, Ryuji, had slumped over onto her. Morgana could feel his eye twitch slightly as he highly considered flinging himself towards the disgusting ogre.

“What do you mean? I simply drew everyone how they naturally appear?” Yusuke’s voice brought him out of his own thoughts and he looked down at the young artist.

“H-h-how can any of that be natural!?” Morgana stuttered as he attempted to tear his eyes away from the horrid scene in front of him. Yusuke’s pencil stopped moving and he tilted his head slightly.

“Well whenever I draw them I get the same feeling I do when I draw Akira and Futaba.” Morgana felt his stomach drop out from under him. He looked back up at Lady Ann and Ryuji and then over at Akira and Futaba.

Morgana dropped back down into the seat next to Yusuke and sat in silence for a long time. He had always known deep down. Lady Ann was a human after all and he was… well he wasn’t human. But what did that matter? He still had feelings. He could fall in love, he could be angry, and happy, and sad, and… crushed. Didn’t that mean that he was already human? No. He was a cat. Even if Lady Ann or anyone else for that matter, had feelings for him it’s not like he could do anything about it. He could never give anyone else what they would need, what they would want.

Morgana was a cat. He could never go out to eat with someone. He could never go shopping or meet their parents. He couldn’t hold their hand or kiss them. He was a cat and there was a good chance he would always be that way.

“The soul is a complicated thing.” Yusuke said softly as he continued to press his pencil lightly against the sheet of paper. “It is the hardest thing to capture in a picture.” Morgana looked up at Yusuke confused. “When I try to draw others I aspire to show the world who they are deep down. The same way my Mother showed her own soul when she painted the Sayuri.” He pulled his pencil away from the page and placed his thumb on the side. He then began to flip slowly through the previous pages of his pad. He suddenly stopped and turned the page towards Morgana.

The picture showed Morgana standing alone on Akira’s windowsill. He stood upright looking out of the room towards the rest of the city. The picture itself was simple, but there was something about it that caused Morgana’s heart to stir. He looked confident and he looked… happy.

“I call this one ‘The Hope of Humanity’.” Yusuke was smiling as Morgana continued to examine the picture quietly. Morgana thought he understood what Yusuke was trying to say and he couldn’t help but return the young artists smile.

Without another word Yusuke flipped pages back to his current drawing and he went back to his work. Morgana laid down and rested his head in his paws. He couldn’t lose hope now. Not after they had come so far. As Morgana prepared for the remaining train ride something suddenly occurred to him.

“Wait you said that when you draw Lady Ann and Ryuji it feels like drawing Akira and Futaba right?” Yusuke continued to sketch quietly for a few seconds before responding.

“It’s a new development, but the feeling they give off is similar yes.” Morgana peered over at Akira and then back to Yusuke.

“How long have you known that Akira and Futaba are dating? I thought they had done a decent job hiding it…” Morgana cocked his head as he waited for Yusuke’s answer.

“Wait they are together? Romantically?” Yusuke met Morgana’s eyes and they stayed silent for several seconds.

“Oh… oops…”

_ _ _

“Next stop Yasoinaba, next stop Yasoinaba.” Akira stirred from his rest as the announcement sounded out from the nearby speaker. He felt something rubbing against his shoulder and he instinctively tightened his hold on whatever was in his left hand. A loud yawn escaped his mouth as he turned to look to his left.

Futaba was sitting up in her chair lazily rubbing her eyes, her glasses moving with her hand. He looked down and noticed that what he had tightened his grip on was her hand. He smiled to himself before looking back up to find Futaba noticing their currently intertwined hands as well. Her cheeks turned a bright pink before she quickly pulled away.

“I-I-I I’m so s-s-sorry!” Akira shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Nothing to be embarrassed about. We’ve done way more than just hold hands.” Akira whispered. He gave her a quick wink and he swore she turned a few shades darker.

“Yo, everything alright you two?” Ryuji was standing out of his chair and looking in their direction.

“Yeah, still waking up.” Akira said before yawning, “It was a longer ride than I thought it would be.”

“Agreed. I didn’t intend to fall asleep as well.” Makoto stretched her arms and the train began to slow.

“Ugh! Gross! Ryuji did you drool on me!?” Ann’s voice drew the attention of several others and Akira had to stifle a laugh as he noticed a rather large dark spot on her shirt. Ryuji gave her a confused look before his eyes finally landed on the wet piece of fabric. His eyes widened and he slouched into his usual bad posture.

“Uh sorry Ann. I guess I was just comfortable.” He let out a halfhearted chuckle in an attempt to alleviate the situation somewhat. It didn’t work. Ann reached up above the seats and pulled her bag down.

“God, I can’t believe you! How did you even manage to drool this much?” She unzipped her bag and pulled out another shirt. “Does anyone know where the bathrooms-“ before Ann could finish her question the train came to an abrupt stop.

“We have arrived at Yasoinaba. Please watch your step as you leave the train.” Ann’s mouth opened in abject horror as she looked at the stain once more.

“Come on we can get changed once we reach the inn.” Haru placed a calming hand on Ann’s back and gently lead her to the door. Ryuji sighed and dragged his bag from the bin above him. Akira grabbed his own bag and noticed it was rather light.

“Morgana?” Akira looked around at Futaba and she simply shrugged at him.

“Worry not. He is with me.” Akira turned and saw Yusuke holding Morgana in his arms while his bag was slung over his shoulder. “We bonded while you all slept.” Yusuke had a rather proud look on his face as he made his way to the exit.

“Well… that was certainly different.” Futaba said as she finished gathering her things. “Come on, the doors are going to close if we don’t hurry.” She placed her hands on the small of his back and gently pushed Akira out into the aisle.

They had left early in the morning so it was no surprise that the sun was still high in the azure sky. A few wispy white clouds dotted the sky, but it was mostly a clear day. The surrounding area was quiet and the only noise that could be heard was the engine of the train behind them and nearby birds chirping.

The train pulled away as the all finished gathering their things and they were suddenly hit by just how quite it really was. Akira was used to living in a city, so the sudden lack of cars honking, or people murmuring amongst themselves was almost… unsettling. Haru suddenly took a deep breath as a small breath of wind rushed passed them.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been here. I’ve really missed coming to places like this.” Haru’s voice seemed to sing in the silence and Akira cocked his head slightly at her statement.

“You never said that you had been here before.”

“Oh? I suppose it just never came up. I’ve vacationed here a few times. The Amagi Inn is a rather wonderful place to stay, I’m very excited to be staying there again.” Haru seemed almost giddy as she stepped forward into the sunlight. Akira looked at the rest of the thieves and simply shrugged before following her.

It took them the better part of an hour to walk from the train station to the Amagi inn. The heat had been unbearable and they all looked like they were about to collapse. Akira briefly wondered what sort of genius would put an inn so damn far away from the train station.

The inn itself was absolutely beautiful. The large wooden structure reached out several stories into the sky and felt very reminiscent of older buildings made during the Edo period. Wooden wind chimes hung near the front of the building and they sang with each brief gust of wind.

“Woah there is no way we could have afforded to stay in a place like this.” Ryuji whistled, clearly impressed. “Dude who is this Naoto chick? She must be loaded!”

“No kidding. This is going to be way better than Hawaii.” Ann’s eyes sparkled as she took in her surroundings.

“You should see the hot springs! If memory serves they are incredibly relaxing.” Haru bounced on her heels as she failed to keep her excitement in check.

“They have natural hot springs…” Makoto was clearly impressed, but she was doing a much better job at hiding her childlike enthusiasm unlike the others.

“Seriously who the hell is this detective chick!” Ryuji re-iterated.

“Can we please admire it from the inside…” Futaba moaned as she attempted to not collapse on the spot. Akira nodded and made his way over to Yusuke.

“They probably won’t be very fond of cats. Sorry but I think I’ll need to steal Morgana back from you.” Yusuke nodded and Akira opened his bag for Morgana to climb back into. Morgana simply plopped down into the bag and splayed out.

“Just get me inside… I think I’m going to die.” Morgana panted. Akira smiled at the exhausted cat before gently slipping his bag back on his shoulder.

The inside of the inn was just as impressive as the outside. They were quickly met by a young woman dressed in a white yukata. She gave them a deep bow and smiled.

“Welcome to the Amagi Inn. How may we be of service.” Her voice was soft and sweet. Akira saw Ryuji out of the corner of his eye and watched as his mouth dropped open. A moment later Ann shoved her elbow into his stomach and he doubled over. Akira had to stifle a laugh as he watched Ryuji attempt to catch his breath while also keeping an eye on the young woman in front of him.

“Ah yes I believe we have a reservation for some rooms.” Makoto was far more adept at ignoring the groups antics apparently. The young woman bowed once more and motioned for them to follow her.

They moved through the entry way and found themselves in a large open area. A large wooden desk stood on the left side of the room. Several couches and matching chairs had been spread throughout the room. The entry way had clearly been updated to match more modern times and slightly clashed with the traditional design of the building itself.

They were lead to the desk where a young woman was bent down filling out several sheets of paper. Her thin frame was covered by a silky pink yukata. Her dark black hair was held up in a bun, but some of her hair had slipped out and was now gently hanging down and framing her face. She looked up as they approached and her dark eyes sparkled.

“Ms. Amagi these guests have a reservation.” The woman accompanying said as she nodded towards the woman behind the desk.

“Oh! Welcome to the Amagi Inn!” Her voice was sweet and her eyes sparkled as she smiled. After a moment her eyes narrowed and then widened in what appeared to be recognition. “Ah! Would one of you happen to be Akira Kurusu?” Akira’s eyebrows shot up and the rest of the group turned towards him instinctively. Akira sighed and quickly regained his composure.

“Yeah. I’m going to assume the detective told you we would be arriving. I guess that would make you Yukiko.” The young woman smiled and tapped her pen on the desk.

“No wonder she’s so interested in you.” Akira blinked in surprise. “My name is Yukiko Amagi, the current manager of this inn. Our mutual friend has reserved two of our largest rooms which should comfortably fit all of you. The paperwork has been taken care of already so Yuri here will show you to your rooms. Once you have settled in feel free to come back down here. I will inform Naoto of your arrival and she will meet you here when you are ready.” Akira bowed and then nodded at their guide. She smiled in return and began to lead the way.

“Yo! You knew who that was?” Ryuji had slid up beside Akira and whispered in to his ear. Akria looked at his friend and had to stifle a laugh once again. His friend’s eyes were wide open and his mouth was half hanging open. Akira supposed she had been rather pretty so he wasn’t surprised by Ryuji’s ungraceful reaction.

“Yeah that was Yukiko Amagi you moron. Akira told us about her involvement with Naoto already. Maybe you should pay more attention and pick your jaw off the floor.” Ann rolled her eyes and strode passed Ryuji until she was almost walking side by side with their guide.

“Dude what’s her problem?” Ryuji asked frowning. Akira stared at his friend before sighing.

“I suppose it would be hard for you to see it.” Akira said to himself. He the slapped his hand on Ryuji’s back before confidently saying, “No clue buddy.” Their guide came to a sudden stop in front of two doors.

“Your two rooms are across the hall from one another. Please let us know if you need anything else.” The young woman smiled before slipping between them and leaving their group alone.

“Why don’t we take a minute to unpack before we head out?” Makoto’s suggestion seemed agreeable and everyone nodded in response.

“Finally I can get this disgusting goop off of me.” Ann growled as she stared menacingly at the stain on her shirt. Ryuji looked like he was about to say something, but Akira placed his hand on his shoulder and simply shook his head.

“Okay well I’m pretty sure we will be ready before you guys so come knock when you are ready to go meet the detective.” The girls nodded and they split into the two rooms.

Calling their room large was an understatement. Four futons had been laid out onto the floor while a wooden table had been placed across from them. There was an opening in the back that most likely lead to a washroom and a sliding door that most likely held the largest closet Akira had ever seen.

“My what a beautiful room. It would make a wonderful background for a painting.” Yusuke already had his hands up forming a makeshift frame with his fingers as he surveyed the room. “Perhaps I could convince you and Futaba to be the subjects of a painting while we are here?” Yusuke gave Akira a quizzical look that took him by complete surprise.

“Dude what a weird couple to want to paint. I didn’t think you were attracted to Futaba at all.” Ryuji’s blurted out as he found a nice place to drop his things. Akira gave a sharp look at Yusuke and then his bag. He saw Morgana avoiding eye contact and Yusuke’s previous words echoed through his mind. “We bonded while you all slept.” Akira’s eye twitched before he looked back up at Yusuke.

“Uh Yusuke I think-“ A loud scream echoed from across the hall causing them all to jump.

“Dude what was that! That sounded like one of the girls, we need to-“

“Stay right here.” Akira said before Ryuji could rush out the door. “Futaba just realized that we don’t have internet access.” Ryuji stopped in his tracks and stared at Akira.

“You mean you didn’t tell her!” Akira winced.

“I uh sort of forgot…” Ryuji’s mouth dropped open and stared bewildered at him.

“Oh dear. This certainly won’t end well.” Yusuke shook his head, “I may need to retract my request for that painting. I do not wish to paint what will surely be your death.” Akira’s shoulders dropped and he stared at the door to their room for a short minute.

“Let’s get unpacked. I’m sure my death can wait until they are ready.” Akira tried to remain calm, but he kept having visions of his girlfriend strangling him with her laptop’s power cord.

Several minutes passed before they finally heard from the girls. When they opened the door, they found Makoto giving them a weak smile while Ann and Haru were busy comforting Futaba, who looked like someone had sucked her very soul form her body.

“Looks like we don’t have an internet connection here…” Makoto gave them a worried look and Akira sighed. He could already see his grave before him.

“Right, I uh… I forgot to mention that before we got here…” Futaba’s eyes twitched before she looked up at him. She slowly stalked forward and lightly gripped his shirt.

“You… you knew…” Her grip tighter and she pulled him forward. “YOU KNEW AND YOU STILL BROUGHT ME HERE!” Her eyes were wild and Akira briefly wondered how such a small girl could be so frightening. “I trusted you! You have betrayed me! What sort of hell have you dragged me too!?” Akira looked to the others for help and found that they were all looking away and were seemingly oblivious to the current conversation.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me…” Akira whispered to himself. He looked back at Futaba and gave her a weak smile. He quickly leaned in and whispered into her ear, “I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” When he leaned back he watched as her eyes narrowed and she stared daggers at him, before she finally closed her eyes and composed herself.

“I know we came here for Morgana and nothing would have stopped me from coming, but a warning would have been nice.” Futaba growled as the last words left her lips and Akira nodded. She sighed before letting him go. “You don’t have to make anything up to me. It isn’t your fault this place has no internet… but if you want to make it up to me anyway, well I wouldn’t say no.” She whispered before she stalked passed him. Akira shook his head and sighed as he followed her.

Futaba was generally a very reasonable person so it was strange seeing her like this. He knew she wasn’t actually mad at him, but he still felt like he wanted to do something for her to make up for the lack of internet anyway. Maybe after their talk with Naoto he could go find her a gift of some kind.

When they arrived back in the main room, they found Yukiko had left her position behind her desk and was now sitting in one of the nearby chairs. She had changed out of her Yukata and was now wearing a bright pink shirt and a white skirt.

Yukiko was speaking to another woman. She had dark blue hair and was almost a head shorter than Yukiko. Her slim body was covered by a white button up shirt and she wore a pair of blue jeans. Her hands were intertwined in front of her mouth as she listened to Yukiko speak. Her back was straight and though she was sitting in a relaxed position, it felt like she was ready to leap out of her seat at any moment.

“Ah it looks like our guests have arrived.” The young woman stood out of her chair and nodded to Akira. “Joker it is good to finally meet you.” The use of his codename slightly irked him, but he waved it off.

“Wish I could say the same detective.” He expected some reaction, but the young woman simply continued to smile at him.

“Well perhaps we can change your opinion of me later. You have already met Yukiko here.” Yukiko rose from her chair as well and gave them a brief bow.

“It’s good to see you all again. I hope the rooms are to your liking.” Her voice bubbled out from her lips as she spoke and it was easy to see that her personality had changed slightly now that she was no longer in her uniform.

“Everything is quite wonderful thank you.” Makoto’s kind response was met with a quite scoff from Futaba. Haru frowned at their annoyed friend.

“Please forgive her. She isn’t used to living without constant internet access.” Haru apologized, but Yukiko simply smiled.

“Many of our younger patrons have a harder time adjusting to that. Once she gets used to it however, I’m sure you will all love it here.” Yukiko’s smile lit up the room before she turned to Naoto.

“Perhaps we should go meet up with the others? We can finish introductions once we all meet up. Besides, Chie has been teasing me about some big news she has all week.” Yukiko was practically bouncing up and down as she spoke. Clearly whatever news she was waiting for was important. Naoto simply smiled.

“Ah yes I suppose you would be excited to see her again.” She nodded once before looking at the rest of them. Why don’t you follow us? The rest of our group will meet us there and you all look rather hungry.”

Naoto strolled passed them, but as she did her eyes briefly locked with Akira’s. She gave him a brief smile before continuing passed him. The rest of the group eagerly followed, most likely due to their growling stomachs.

“Mind telling us where we are heading?” Akira asked as he fell in with the rest of them.

“Oh, just our old hideout.” Yukiko said excitedly as she spun her head back to answer him. Akira nodded, but looked down at his bag.

Morgana’s head stuck out and was looking up at him as well. Their eyes locked and they exchanged a knowing nod. This was it. If they were ever going to find a clue it would be here.

“Here we go.”


	6. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the meeting has arrived, but Chie and Yu have some rather pressing matters to attend to first. How will the others react to hearing the big news?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this was a long one. So the more I wrote this the more I started to think that maybe this was more of a side story than a continuation, but I hope you guys enjoy it none the less.
> 
> Also in other news- I've decided my schedule will allow for weekly releases on Thursdays. So look forward to that!
> 
> *UPDATE* So I know I just said that I would do weekly releases for Thursdays so I absolutely hate to delay the very next week. Unfortunately work has really picked up and I may not be able to update until tomorrow. The weekly update is still happening! It just may not be until tomorrow.

Yu stood outside a familiar house as Chie leaned against him. Her hand was currently wrapped around his and she kept nervously glancing at the door and then back towards the street.  
  
“We can go inside if you like.” Yu whispered as he pulled her in closer. She quickly glanced up at him and he could see a desperate look in her eyes. “Oh, come on Chie, you know they won’t bite. In fact, they love having us over.” She slowly began to nod before stopping herself and vigorously shaking her head.  
  
“This is different! He’s my boss now and we were only dating… what if they don’t want me to be with you?” She asked desperately struggling to pull him closer.  
  
Chie had always been a strong woman. She would train for hours on end and ever since she joined the police academy her confidence had risen to new heights. If it had to do with Yu however, she had a tendency to worry. She had been practically paralyzed with fear when they decided to tell the others they were dating.  
  
“Chie, you are being ridiculous.” Yu’s voice was soft as he tried to reassure his fiancé. “They were ecstatic when we told them we were together. They will be ecstatic now that we are making this a more permanent arrangement.” He smiled and brushed his hand across her cheek.  
  
“I know it’s just that… well this is your family you know?” She leaned into his hand, but her eyes remained on the floor. Yu sighed before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.  
  
“I understand, but you can do this. You were excited last night!”  
  
“That was before I got here! We can just do this another day right?” Yu smiled as she panicked and he ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
“Dojima hardly gets days off and they already know we are coming. Sorry, but you’re stuck.” Yu nodded at her and without waiting for her to catch on he quickly rang the doorbell. Chie’s mouth dropped open and Yu could see the sudden urge to flee plain on her face.  
  
The door suddenly swung open and a young girl stood in the door way. Her long chestnut brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail while her bangs were swept to the side. She was thin and still a full foot shorter than Chie, though if she continued to grow at this rate she would be as tall as Yu by the time she finished middle school.  
  
Yu had to stop himself from smiling as he noticed the girl’s outfit. She wore a bright green tank top and blue jeans that were held up by a bright yellow belt. She had been spending too much time with Chie.  
  
“Bro!” The young girl flung herself forward and wrapped her arms around Yu’s waist. Yu staggered backwards and almost lost his grip on Chie’s hand. She had certainly grown since his high school days. “You’re early!”  
  
“Ah, yeah we thought we could come over and help with breakfast.” Yu rested his hand on top of her as she separated and turned towards Chie. She rushed over and gave Chie an equally rough hug. Yu could see the corners of Chie’s mouth tug upwards.  
  
“Hey Nanako! Are you enjoying your summer break?” Chie’s voice cracked as she failed to hide her nervousness.  
  
“Yeah! I’ve finished all my homework early so I can spend all my time with my friends. Though I do wish dad would let me stay out a bit later.” Yu laughed as Nanako lamented her current situation. She was getting to be that age he supposed. “Um wait you said you two were here to help with breakfast?” Yu and Chie nodded at the young girl. She frowned for a moment as she looked between the two of them. “Okay, um Chie, maybe you could set the table?” Yu quickly turned away and tried to muffle his laughter. Chie stood there in silence as she let the words sink in.  
  
Once upon a time Nanako would have eaten anything and told the cook it was good regardless of the actual quality. It would seem that a few too many disasters in the kitchen had slowly changed her mind on that particular policy.  
  
“Oh, shut up!” Chie lightly slapped Yu’s back before stalking into the house. “I’ll set the crap out of this table!” It took Yu a few more seconds to stop laughing. Once he calmed himself down he made his way to the door.  
  
“Hey big bro?” Yu stopped in the doorway and looked back at his cousin. Her eyes were wide and sparkled in the morning sunlight. “Was that… was that a ring?” Her voice rose an octave or two as she finished her question. Yu wanted to actually respond, but the only thing he could do was smile sheepishly at her.  
  
Without warning Nanako barreled past Yu and into the house. He could hear a sudden shout of surprise followed by an echoing laugh. Yu quickly made his way inside before shutting the door and peeling off his shoes.  
  
As he reached the living room he found Nanako holding onto Chie’s left hand and jumping up and down. Chie on the other hand looked a bit stunned, but her lips had curved up into a bright smile.  
  
“I uh, guess you told her huh?” Chie asked as her nervousness slowly began to dissipate. Yu simply shrugged.  
  
“She saw the ring.” He said as a matter of fact. “I think she’s excited.” Chie laughed as Nanako let go of her hand and flung herself at Yu again.  
  
“This is so awesome!” Nanako shouted as she tightened her grip on him. After a few moments, she finally released him before quickly and unceremoniously slapping him across the arm. “And how long did you keep this a secret?” Her face had suddenly shifted into a deep frown as Yu rubbed the newly sore spot on his arm.  
  
Before Yu could respond the back door slid open and the tall muscular figure of Ryotaro Dojima stepped inside. Despite it being his off day, he was still dressed in a button up shirt and slacks. A single unlit cigarette was held between lips. His eyes were half open and shallow bags had taken their place under his eyes.  
  
“Hey you two, welcome! Mind explaining why my daughter is yelling this early in the morning?” Dojima smiled as he looked between the three of them with a quizzical tilt to his head.  
  
Without a moment’s notice or preamble, Nanako took Chie’s left hand in hers and pulled her towards her father. She then thrust Chie’s hand out towards her father while a triumphant nod. Dojima cocked an eyebrow at first, looking between Nanako and Chie before his eyes finally fell on her finger. Domjima’s cigarette fell from his mouth and his eyes locked with Yu’s.  
  
_ _ _  
  
“Nanako can you start cracking the eggs?” Chie watched as Yu and Nanako moved through the kitchen with exceptional ease and speed. She smiled to herself as she sat on the floor across the table from Dojima.  
  
“This used to happen all the time.” Dojima’s voice drew her attention away from the kitchen and over to the aging detective. He had a pleased smile on his face as he watched the scene in the kitchen unfold before him. “When he first came to live with us Nanako and I weren’t really sure how to act around him. Then next thing I know I’m waking up to them making breakfast together and her calling him ‘bro’.” Dojima chuckled as he shifted his weight.  
  
“I loved that year.” Chie grinned at her boss, “I met my best friends and I did more that year than I ever thought I would in a life time. This reminds me of all the times we came over and tried to cook.” Chie cringed to herself, but was still able to let out a short laugh. Dojima’s smile widened and Chie began to fidget with her left hand.  
  
She wasn’t really sure why she had been so worried before. She couldn’t count the amount of times the four of them had been like this. She allowed herself a moment to admire her ring once more. It glimmered in the soft sunlight now peering through the sliding glass door.  
  
“I can’t say I’m surprised you know.” Chie jumped as Dojima brought her out of her reverie. “About you two I mean.” He continued, seemingly unaware of her sudden loss of composure. “He always seemed to have a way with people. They just flocked to him. In all my years as a detective I have never met anyone quite like him.” Chie’s gaze swept over to her fiancé and she felt her heart beat rise. She had to agree with Dojima. Yu certainly was one of a kind. “You were different though.” She wanted to keep staring at Yu, but the sudden declaration had piqued her interest.  
  
“What do you mean?” Chie asked as she rested her cheek in her right hand.  
  
“Yu is a very composed individual. He isn’t exactly prone to emotional outbursts and he has always been very aware of those around him.” Chie shook her head as Dojima began to rattle things off about his nephew. He was acting less like his uncle and more like a cop. Dojima had a way of always being on the job.  
  
“That’s one of my favorite things about him. He always keeps me level headed. I can’t count the amount of bad choices I would have made if he hadn’t been there to remind me what was important.” A memory of a hospital room and a dark television flashed in her mind.  
  
“It’s funny you say that, because he is the least composed when he is around you.” Chie arched an eyebrow at him. “It took me a while to notice it since your group didn’t come around too often, but I noticed it that summer. Do you remember when we all went to see fireworks together?”  
  
Chie felt the sudden urge to hide her face behind her hands. Yu’s words suddenly ran through her mind as if he was saying them again. ‘That was the night I knew I wanted you by my side for the rest of my life.’  
  
“Yeah… I remember it.” Her voice was quiet, but lucky for her Dojima was still distracted by his daughter and Yu’s work in the kitchen.  
  
“It was the first time since my wife passed that Nanako and I were able to watch the fireworks with others.” Chie winced reflexively. It was rare to hear Dojima speak about his wife, but she was surprised to see the peaceful smile on his face. “I thought I would be the only one looking away from show.” He turned towards Chie and gave her a smug smile.  
  
“I think I see where you’re going with this and-“  
  
“I wanted to see my daughter’s smile. Nothing quite like it in the world. As I went to look back at the show I noticed someone else’s attention had been pulled away.” Chie’s cheeks felt like they were on fire, “That was when I realized you two were together. I had a feeling something was going on before, I’m a detective after all, but this was proof.”  
  
“I didn’t realize anyone else saw us that night… He only just told me about that…” Chie was suddenly wondering why breakfast was taking so long.  
  
“You know what I learned that night?” Dojima nodded towards her left hand, “My nephew was in a lot of trouble.”  
  
“What do you mean by that!?” The words left her mouth before she could stop herself. Dojima’s head fell back as he let out a burst of laughter.  
  
“It’s a good thing.” He said between gasps of air, “What I meant was, he was looking at you like I used to look at my wife.” Dojima wiped a small tear away from his eye as he continued to catch his breath. “I’m really happy you two have found each other.” The statement was so surprising that it threw Chie completely off balance. She stared at Dojima unable to put her surprise and sudden gratitude into words.  
  
“Hey breakfast is almost ready you two!” Nanako’s voice drew them to the kitchen and Chie watched as Yu slipped several eggs onto a plate.  
  
“Guess that’s my cue to make the coffee then.” Dojima rose from his spot and quickly made his way to the kitchen. “Oh Chie, I’ve got something for you.” He raised his hand and beckoned her to follow him. Chie scrambled to her feet and raced into the kitchen after him. By the time she made it into the room, Dojima had already set out the coffee mugs.  
  
The three mugs were all simple in design. They were painted a single color with a single name wrapping around it. Dojima was already pouring warm coffee into the first mug when he nodded to the nearby cabinet.  
  
“I did some re-arranging so you will find the other mugs in there.” Chie nodded and moved to open the cabinet. The door swung open easily enough and revealed a stack of plates and bowls. Atop one of the plate stacks was a single mug.  
  
The mug was a simple dark green with bold yellow letters wrapping around the body. The letters had been painted elegantly and each letter flowed into the next. Chie reached out and gently took hold of the mug.  
  
“Chie.” She read the word aloud as she stared at the mug. Her vision began to blur as she looked up at Yu. He stood beside her with his head down, still focusing on preparing breakfast, but she could see the gentle smile on his face. She then turned towards Dojima and tried to think of something to say. Instead she was met by his bright smile and a hot pot of coffee.  
  
“Welcome to the family.” The words filled her whole body and she simply nodded.  
  
_ _ _  
  
Midday had come and gone by the time they left the Dojima household. Chie skipped ahead of Yu as the wound their way through Inaba’s back streets. Yu slipped his phone from his pocket to double check the time one last time.  
  
Naoto’s text had just come saying that the Phantom Thieves had arrived in Inaba. Which most likely gave them about half an hour to get to their old hideout. Yu put his phone back before looking up at Chie once more. Part of him really wished they had time to swing by their apartment before heading to meet the others. Chie suddenly spun on her heels and looked back at him.  
  
“You told him ahead of time, didn’t you?” Yu raised an eyebrow as he continued walking forward. “Dojima! You told him we were engaged. Why else would he already have my mug ready?” Her eyes narrowed as he caught up to her and she fell in beside him.  
  
“I promise I didn’t say a word. I think he just knew the signs.” Yu shrugged, but that was apparently not good enough for his fiancé.  
  
“No way. He’s a detective sure, but he’s not that good… besides you didn’t have any signs.” Yu snorted and tried not to laugh.  
  
“Chie my uncle was onto us from day one when we were investigating those murders. I highly doubt it took much for him to put two and two together.” Chie opened her mouth to respond then shut it a moment later. A long moment of silence passed before she simply shrugged.  
  
“I guess you have a good point. Hey?” Yu looked down at Chie just in time to see her pushing herself up to kiss him. Their lips met briefly as she tightened her grip on his hand. When they separated they were both smiling. “We’re engaged.”  
  
“I’m very aware.” Yu nodded towards her hand, “I was there after all.”  
  
“I’m just practicing. We are about to meet the others and I’m looking forward to seeing Yosuke’s face.” Chie grinned as she began to pull Yu along with her.  
  
“Oh? Not nervous anymore?” She rolled her eyes and let out a puff of air.  
  
“No way! This morning was different. We see Dojima and Nanako all the time. It was almost as bad as telling your actual parents. Imagine if they disapproved!?” Chie shook involuntarily as they turned the corner. “We already know our friends approve. I have nothing to worry about.” Yu let out a pleased sigh. She had nothing to worry about with his family either, but telling her that was clearly pointless.  
  
They heard the familiar jingle before they could actually see Junes. The superstore was packed as always, with people walking away with large plastic bags of food or boxes of electronics. The store hadn’t been very popular when it was first made. Yu remembered the spiteful looks the store would receive daily. Ever since they decided to work with the local stores however, their business had boomed along with their reputation.  
  
They slipped inside the store and caught the first elevator up to the food court. Chie flashed her ring in different poses as they began to rise up to the roof of the store.  
  
“What are you doing?” Yu asked as he tried not to smile.  
  
“I’m trying to think of the best way to show off the ring!” Each pose was more bombastic and elaborate then the last.  
  
“This is my Stand, Silver Chariot!” Yu’s voice was deep as he took a ridiculous pose next to her. His hand in front of his face and opposite arm stretching out behind him.  
  
“Oh come on!” Chie lightly stomped her foot on the elevator floor. “I do not look like that.” Yu laughed as the elevator door opened. Chie sighed as she stepped outside and waved her left hand behind her.  
  
“I’m starting to regret saying yes.” She said playfully as he followed her out.  
  
“Yo! Chie and Yu are here!” A familiar voice boomed from across the outdoor food court.  
  
Kanji Tatsumi sat at a large wooden table they had used many times during their investigation all those years ago. His black hair had been cut so that his bangs hung just above his square framed glasses. His plane black t-shirt and matching jeans were tight against his muscular frame.  
  
“Kanji!” Chie waved as they pushed through the center of the floor. As they approached the table they watched as two others sat a tray of drinks down.  
  
“Hey partner!”  
“Chie! Yu!” Yosuke Hanamura and Rise Kujikawa each grabbed a drink and waved them over. Yu tried to keep pace with Chie, but she was already rushing forward. Rise ran around the table and met them on the other side, quickly wrapping her arms around Chie.  
  
“It’s soooo good to see you!” Rise’s red hair bounced in the sunlight while she squealed in delight. Yosuke and Kanji met them soon after and embraced Yu in a brief hug and a light punch to the shoulder respectively.  
  
“Man, it’s been so long! How have you two been?” Yosuke asked as they all took their seats.  
  
Yosuke’s brown hair had grown out a bit longer than it had been in high school. His usual calm posture had disappeared however. He had small bags under his eyes and his smile was unable to hide his weary appearance.  
  
Rise on the other hand was glowing. Her red hair was radiant and flowed around her. Despite her incredibly busy schedule she had apparently taken to her singing career like a fish to water.  
  
“Great! I’m actually working under Dojima and he’s teaching me how to make my way up to detective.” Chie tilted her head up with pride.  
  
“That’s great! What about you Sempai?” Rise put her chin in her hands as she looked across the table at Yu.  
  
“I’ve only had a few cases so far, but I’m enjoying the work. Being a Prosecutor is no joke though.” Chie wrapped her arm around his as he spoke.  
  
“It’s like were partners really.” Yosuke rolled his eyes.  
  
“You two are as nauseating as ever.” Chie stuck her tongue out at Yosuke. These two always brought out the other’s inner child.  
  
“Hey so where are the others?” Yu asked ignoring the two making faces at each other.  
  
“Oh, Naoto and Yukiko are on their way from the inn so they should be here soon. Teddie is-” Before Kanji could finish speaking a shadow fell over Yu.  
  
“Sensei!” A cry rang out behind Yu and he suddenly felt a heavy weight slam against his back. Yu grunted as two thin arms wrapped around his neck. “Sensei I can’t believe it’s you! It’s been so long!” A high-pitched squeal rang out in Yu’s ear as he struggled with the weight pressing down on him.  
  
“What are you doing you idiot?! You’re going to choke him to death!” The weight was suddenly lifted and Yu began to rub his neck gently. He turned to see Chie holding a slim young man by the ear.  
  
Teddie was the smallest amongst their group of friends. He was almost a full head shorter than Chie. He was as thin as they come and his stark blonde hair and blue eyes stuck out anywhere they went. That was nothing to say of his fashion sense as well. Like today, he tended to wear high end clothing. He was currently dressed in a white shirt that frilled out in the front as well as a set of well ironed slacks.  
  
“Teddie you saw them last month.” Yusuke chided his old roommate as Chie let go of his ear. He quickly took a seat next to Yu as the other all rolled their eyes.  
  
“Hey Teddie. It’s good to see you.” Yu smiled at his beaming friend. “How has work been?”  
  
“Oh it’s awful! Yosuke keeps dragging me everywhere! We haven’t been able to stay in Inaba for more than a few days.” He gave the rest of the table a pitiful look.  
  
“After our local Junes started working with it’s local shops our profits have skyrocketed. They decided they wanted more stores to start using a similar program. Since my father and I were a big part of that change they asked me to go help other stores implement the new changes.” Yosuke let out a weary yawn and rested his head in his hand.  
  
“Wow that sounds rough man. Can’t be easy with Teddie following you around.” Kanji pat Yosuke on the back in an attempt to comfort him.  
  
“That’s just it. The higher ups love the business that Teddie has brought to our store. They want him to be the Junes official mascot. It’s been a logistical nightmare because Teddie didn’t exactly exists until a few years ago.” Yosuke looked like he was on the verge of collapsing as he continued to talk. The poor guy.  
  
“I’m going to be just like Rise! My face will be famous everywhere we go.” Teddie bragged as if he was completely innocent and Yosuke’s current plight had nothing to do with him. Yu often wondered what it must be like to live in Teddie’s world.  
  
Yu expected Yosuke to blurt out something at Teddie, or at least give him some mild chastising. Instead Yosuke simply smiled at him. It was a weary smile, but it was definitely genuine. Yosuke had grown a lot since their high school days.  
  
“What about you Kanji? How’s the shop?” Yosuke yawed once more, but Yu could see he was mustering as much interest as he could manage.  
  
“Aw man things are going great! Ever since my mom let me start managing the store we have started to focus more on making toys for kids.” Kanji’s eyes sparkled as he sat forward onto the table. “We have gotten so many orders I’ve been working on the weekends just to keep up. We are thinking about hiring a helper so I can have some more free time you know?”  
  
“That’s so awesome!” Rise said, clearly impressed.  
  
As the group continued to talk Yu stole a quick glance at Chie. He found her doing the same and their eyes met. He smiled as he let his eyes fall to her finger then he nodded questioningly towards the others. She shook her head before mouthing ‘Yukiko’. Yu nodded in understanding before turning back to the others.  
  
He found they were suddenly the center of attention as the others had clearly lost interest in whatever topic they had been speaking about.  
  
“So… want to share with the rest of the class?” Rise said in a teasing tone. Busted. Yu looked at Chie and shrugged. She sighed, but there was still a joyful smile on her lips.  
  
“Actually, we have some big news.” Yosuke and the others exchanged curious looks before looking back at the two of them. “Well you see Yu and I-“  
  
“Guys!” a shout echoed out from the opposite side of the food Court. The rest of the group let out a load groan at the sudden interruption, but they all waved at the new arrival.  
  
“Yukiko my love it’s so good to see you!” Teddie leapt from his chair spread his arms wide. Yukiko on the other hand simply raised an eyebrow and shook her head.  
  
“Yo! Where’s Naoto? I thought she was coming with you?” Kanji made room for Yukiko so she could sit directly across from Chie.  
  
“Oh, she’s downstairs with our guests. She asked me to go on ahead. Apparently, she has something she wants to talk to them about first.” Yu frowned as Yukiko took her seat. Naoto had already angered at least one of the thieves so talking to them alone was a risky move. What was she up to?  
  
“Never mind that! Chie was about to tell us something before you interrupted!” Rise waved her hand energetically at the others in an attempt to quite them.  
  
“Oh yes! Is this about the ‘big news’ you’ve been teasing me about all week?” Yukiko’s eyes lit up and she pushed herself closer to the table. All eyes were back on Chie and you didn’t have to be very observant to see she was struggling with the massive amount of attention.  
  
Chie looked to Yu, nervously biting her lip. He couldn’t blame her either. With this many eyes on her it would be hard to not feel stage fright. Yu slid his hand onto hers and simply smiled. Chie stopped biting her lip and slowly nodded. They turned towards the group and both cleared their throats. Then with one swift and confidant motion Chie thrust her hand forward. Her ring glinted in the setting Sun and a stunned silence fell amongst the group.  
  
“We’re getting married!” The way they spoke made it seem like they had practiced and that this was the easiest thing they had ever done. A sudden scream split through the air and several of their friends jumped to their feet.  
  
“Dude no freaking way!” Yosuke was as elegant as ever. Yukiko quickly sprinted around the table followed closely by the Rise who slipped her arms around Chie’s waist and began laughing and crying at the same time.  
  
“As expected of Sensei.” Teddie nodded confidently as if this was a normal everyday occurrence. Kanji who had sat in silence until this point, reached across the table and slapped Teddie lightly across the back of his head. “Ow!”  
  
“Don’t act like this normal you dumb bear! This is- this is huge man!” Kanji stood and pointed a large index finger at Yu. “He’s getting married man!” Yu laughed and checked to make sure his hand was still on Chie’s. Their fingers were still woven together and he quickly stole a glance in her direction.  
  
Rise was on her knees sobbing and smiling in the most confusing scene Yu had ever seen before. Yukiko had Chie’s other hand held tight as she marveled at the new ring.  
  
Chie shined like the sun. Her hair glimmered in the dimming light and her smile lit up the entire table. Yukiko said something that made her laugh and Yu watched as her whole body shook. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and she always would be.  
  
_ _ _  
  
Akira leaned against a nearby wall as the rest of the thieves stood in a group talking amongst themselves. Naoto stood opposite of them and quietly checked her watch from time to time.  
  
“I’m kind of surprised your hideout is in such a public place.” Akira’s offhand observation was met by a quite chuckle.  
  
“Well I’m sure you understand how hard it is to find a truly private place to meet. If I were to wager a guess you had a similar set up for your operation as well.” Naoto smiled and gave him a knowing look. She most likely couldn’t prove anything, but she was rather confident that she was correct. The fact that she was correct only made things worse.  
  
“Not exactly like this, but you wouldn’t be far off.” Naoto gave a smug nod before checking her watch once more. “Well you said you wanted to talk about something, so what is it? Or are we simply wasting time?” Naoto met his eyes with a rare look of surprise.  
  
“Oh you heard that? Sorry, but that was just a lie to get Yukiko to head up to the hideout first.” Naoto matched his sudden frown with an equally powerful smile.  
  
“Then why keep us down here.” His hand slid slowly into his bag and felt the hilt of his hidden dagger. With Morgana in the bag he wouldn’t be able to pull it out in time to do anything, but his instincts would be screaming at him if he did nothing.  
  
“Nothing nefarious I assure you.” Naoto raised a placating hand before continuing. “Two of our members are getting married and I simply wanted them to have time to break the news.” Akira’s hand quickly let go of the hilt of his dagger. He suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed for being so on edge.  
  
“An engagement!? That’s wonderful!” Haru’s voice drew their attention to the others who had apparently taken interest in their conversation.  
  
“Wait you said two. Do you mean two of your friends are getting married to each other?” Futaba asked a little too eagerly.  
  
“Yes indeed. They have been together since high school so it wasn’t exactly surprising.” Futaba gave Akira a quick look before turning beat red. She suddenly seemed to find the ground very interesting since she could no longer meet his eyes.  
  
“I-I see… that’s very interesting.” If she blushed any harder people would start mistaking her complexion for a skin burn.  
  
“My apologies, I was already assuming the worst of you.” Akira found he was surprised by his apology even if it was deserved. Naoto smiled weakly in response.  
  
“I understand. We didn’t exactly start off on the right foot. I hope we can learn to see eye to eye.” Akira met her gaze once more. He wasn’t willing to forgive her yet. Not by a long shot, but he could at least give her a chance. Besides someone who was willing to think ahead for her friends like this… well they couldn’t be all bad.


	7. Rocky Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The groups finally meet and things don't go as well as one would hope. But with Morgana's humanity on the line, the Thieves will have no choice, but to listen to what the others have to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got it out before Friday! It's been a crazy week folks and unlike last week this chapter is a bit shorter than normal. I hope you guys continue to enjoy the journey to come! 
> 
> *Hey everyone! It's been a while I know, but I have some good news and an explanation as to where Being Human has been and where it is going. So First things first, where have I been? Well unfortunately I've been in Texas and my family was down near Houston when Harvey blew through. There was some touch and go moments, but everyone made it out safe and we were one of the lucky few to receive little to no damages. I also just took on a second job and while it isn't a full time job by any means, these two big events have kept me away from my writing.
> 
> So here is the good news! Being Human isn't going anywhere! I'm back in my groove and I will be dusting off my old typewriter here shortly. The next chapter will be coming back next week so keep an eye out! 
> 
> I greatly apologize for the long break, but I'm coming back and I think I'll even bring a few surprises as well! See you guys soon!

The setting sun gave the surrounding area a distinct orange hue. The few people occupying the food court looked like they were part of a painting as the colors of the nearby lights and the setting sun mingled together. Yusuke must be having a field day,

Akira turned to see his friend holding his fingers up in a makeshift frame as he scanned the food court. If he had a canvas and brushes, Yusuke would no doubt have begun painting immediately.

“Naoto!” A shout broke the relaxed atmosphere and Akira watched as his friend frowned before dropping his hands to his side. “Over here!” Akira followed the voice until he spotted a large wooden table on the opposite side of the roof. A large yellow and white tarp was currently protecting its occupants from the remaining sunlight.

A young woman with dark red hair was standing behind the table while she energetically waved at their group. She was surrounded by five others who had decided to remain seated while they made their way towards them.

A hand suddenly gripped Akira’s shoulder and he turned to see Ryuji and Ann staring at the table with their mouth open.

“Dude… dude that’s Risette!” Ryuji and Ann exchanged excited glances before looking back at the table. “Do you think she will sign anything?” Akira smiled before shaking his head.

“Keep it together you two. I doubt she came here to be swamped by fans.” They both gave him a pathetic look as they attempted to gain his sympathy, but he had come too far to let this conversation devolve into an hour of idol talk. “Wait till after this first then you can do whatever you want.” They exchanged another look before they both glanced at his bag. Their posture relaxed slightly before they both nodded.

“Fine, but I’m not letting this chance pass me by.” Ann said while she picked up her pace. Ryuji was quick to follow and they were the first to make it to the table. Akira noticed the detective shake her head as she watched his friends take their seats.

“Something bothering you detective.” Akira took his place beside her as they slipped around another table.

“I hope your friends aren’t disappointed when they get to know the real Rise.” Akira raised an eyebrow and the detective let out a short laugh. “I mean that she is a rather normal woman. Perhaps a bit more outgoing than most, but she’s… well I just hope that…”

“I’ll make sure they don’t bother her too much.” She met his gaze and gave him a kind smile.

“My apologies, I have no doubt you will all treat her with the respect she deserves.” A small figure suddenly appeared between them and looked up into his eyes.

“Come on! Stop standing around, I’m hungry!” Futaba grabbed him by the hand and lead him to the table. It was brief, but he thought he saw something in her eyes as she led him away.

As he got closer to the table Akira was able to make out the rest of the people sitting on the opposite side. At the center of the table was a young man with short grey hair. He was thin, but gave off an air of confidence that emanated from every movement he made.

Next to him was a slightly shorter woman with light brown hair. She was leaning forward and introducing herself to Makoto who had taken a seat opposite of her.

A much taller man sat a little further away from the center. He had dark black hair and his matching attire made him rather intimidating. Or he would be, but his round glasses detracted from that image somewhat.

Next to him was the thin black-haired woman they had met at the inn earlier. Yukiko Amagi greeted Yusuke as he took his seat. She seemed rather entertained by his sudden make shift frame as he looked up and down the table.

Finally, a short blonde boy with blue eyes sat next to Risette. He was energetically introducing himself to Ann and very obviously ignoring Ryuji. Though both of them already seemed to be having a hard time not freaking out about the idol at their table. Akira was beginning to wonder if they were going to make it through this.

“Where is Yosuke?” The detective asked as she took a seat next to the silver haired man.  
“Oh he went to go order a bunch of food for the table, he should be here shortly.” Risette’s voice bubbled out of her and Akira glanced over at Ann and Ryuji who were currently exchanging glances with each other.

Akira took his seat next to Makoto and Futaba. He sat across from the silver haired man and the detective. He leaned forward to introduce himself when a large platter of sandwiches hit the center of the table.

“Sorry I wasn’t here to greet you all.” A young man with light brown hair moved around them as he set another platter on each side of the table. It took all of Akira’s self-control to not immediately rip into the nearest piece of food.

“No apologies necessary, we have all just take our seats Yosuke.” The newcomer took his seat near the end of the table, next to the short blond boy. As he pushed his seat in a gasp erupted from the same side of the table.

“Mr. Hanamura?” Yosuke looked up from the table and then a moment later shot back up to his feet.

“Ms. Okumura! I didn’t know you would be here today, was there a meeting?!” his phone was in his hand before Akira even realized he had slipped it from his pocket. Yosuke was quickly thumbing through his phone, clearly in a panic. “I’m so sorry I must have forgotten about a meeting or-“

“Mr. Hanamura it’s quite alright! I’m here with my friends.” Haru motioned to the rest of the table as Yosuke looked up from his phone. For a moment, the young man seemed completely confused before realization flashed across his face.

“You… you’re here with… oh wow.” He looked back at Haru and sat back down.

“Are these your friends Mr. Hanamura?” Haru asked while giggling at her flustered acquaintance. He nodded as he pulled his seat closer.

“Uh you two know each other?” Ryuji inserted himself into the conversation with the subtlety and grace of a wrecking ball, but it did seem to remind them of their surroundings.

“Oh yes! Mr. Hanamura has come to visit Okumura Foods on several occasions. We haven’t spoken much since I left the company though. I do miss our after-meeting conversations though.” Haru smiled at Yosuke and he laughed nervously.

“Perhaps we should catch up after this?” Yosuke nodded towards the others, “I’m sure you and your friends came here for a reason.” Haru nodded before looking at the others.

“My apologies, should we get started?” Haru asked as she retrieved a sandwich from the nearby platter.

“Yes, I believe that would be agreeable. Perhaps some introductions first?” Naoto surveyed the entire table before continuing, “I have a feeling this may be a decently long conversation, so getting to know each other certainly couldn’t hurt.” Akira had to stop himself from scoffing. She most likely knew everything she needed too about him and his friends. Though it wouldn’t hurt to at least try and be friendly. Akira was about to start when the man in front of him cleared his throat.

“Why don’t I start? You are our guests after all.” He leaned forward and smiled at Akira and his friends. “My name is Yu Narukami, currently I’m a prosecutor that works mostly in the nearby area.” Out of the corner of his eye, Akira caught Makoto tilting her head slightly.

“He’s being modest. Yu is our leader.” Yosuke spoke over Yu and leaned into the center of the table. Yu shook his head.

“That was a long time ago, I haven’t-“

“Oh come on, you never stopped being our leader. Just because we don’t get together like this as often, that doesn’t mean that you ever stopped being our leader.” Akira was surprised to hear the detective say something so sentimental. She didn’t seem the type to get emotional.

“Nice to meet you. Akira Kurusu, current high school student and leader of the Phantom Thieves.” He extended his hand towards Yu and without hesitation his hand was met by Yu’s.

_ _ _

It took several minutes for the rest of the group to introduce themselves, but as originally planned, no one else ever mentioned being a member of the Phantom Thieves. It never hurt to be careful after all. The introductions were the easy part however.

“So, Naoto gave us a decent idea as to what this meeting is all about, but perhaps you could shed some light on why you contacted our friend in the first place.” Yu’s voice was even and filled with as much confidence as his posture already conveyed.

Akira looked at the others before glancing at the bag. They needed to figure out if these people had anything worthwhile to say. He caught Futaba’s gaze and she nodded confidently at him before briefly placing her hand on his leg. It was now or never.

“Before we get to that, I have one last thing that needs to be taken care of.” He lifted his bag and gently set it on the table. Several of the detectives’ friends looked curiously at Akira and then the bag. He slowly unzipped the bag and opened it.

Morgana leapt out from the opening and landed gracefully onto the top of the table. He let out a long yawn while he enjoyed his sudden freedom.

“Dude you can’t just bring a cat into the store!” Yosuke yelped as he suddenly started to look around in every direction. Akira ignored him and took his seat once more. He looked calmly at Morgana and waited for his friend to finish waking up.

“Man, that looks like a really nice cat. Would uh, would you mind if I pet it?” Kanji’s fingers tapped the wooden surface of his seat as he seemed to admire Morgana. Kanji seemed a bit odd if Akira was completely honest.

“This is Morgana and there is a very good reason that he is here with us today.” Akira continued as if the others hadn’t said a word. His friend met his eyes and tilted his head slightly. Akira nodded and he watched as Morgana spun around to face the others.

“Good evening.” Morgana’s voice cut through the air and the world stopped spinning. Everyone sat completely still, one side of the table in stunned silence while the others felt their bodies tense.

“Holy shit did that cat just talk!” Akira got the feeling that Kanji and Ryuji would get along rather well.

“Woooow! He’s like me!” The boy called Teddie looked at the others as he pointed towards Morgana.

“He is not like you, you were a costume, this is an actual talking cat.” Everytime ‘the cat’ was said, Morgana twitched slightly. The poor guy was trying his best to not respond in his usual manor.

To Akira’s surprise however, two people seemed less effected. Both Yu and the detective were staring curiously at the cat. Yu tilted his head slightly as the woman next to him stared wildly at him and then the cat once more.

The detective on the other hand let her gaze fall onto Akira. Her eyes seemed to pierce through him, but he remained expressionless beneath her scrutiny.

“Why?” Her question was quiet, but it still caught the attention of the others. The table was suddenly quite as they looked between the detective and Akira. “Why not just tell us about the cat?” Akira had to resist the smile attempting to form on his face.

“Morgana is special. To most people he sounds like a perfectly normal cat.” Akira met the detective’s eyes, “But if you have been to the Metaverse then he sounds like he can talk like anyone else.” A sudden look of realization flashed across several people across the table.

“You wished to confirm that we did indeed know about the other world and at least increase the chances that we do, in fact, have Personas.” The detective smiled. “But why the deception? You could have simply had the cat-“

“Morgana!” The tiny Phantom Thief corrected.

“You could have simply had Morgana, speak to us from the beginning.” Akira shook his head in response to her question.

“First I needed to make sure that this was a safe place. If you had some kind of plot to capture me or my friends then you never would have seen Morgana.” The detective smiled.

“And what makes you think that we don’t have a plot to take you in?”

“I’ve already been cleared of my charges so arresting me is pointless. You have nothing, but conjecture about my friends and if they have anything to do with the Phantom Theives. If you did want to arrest us you certainly could just be waiting until we said something incriminating, but after meeting you all… well perhaps trust is the wrong word. I don’t think some of you have the ability to betray anyone even if we have only just met.” Akira watched the other thieves all seem to puff out their chests as Akira explained their plan.

“You seem rather confident that you have read us all correctly.” The response came from an unexpected source. The woman next to Yu, Chie he believed, had a very serious look in her eyes. “What if you are wrong?”

“Then I will do what I have always done, I will protect my friends.” The last words had an edge to them that Akira had not meant to use. To his surprise however, Chie simply grinned.

“You know he really does remind me of you.” She looked up at Yu as she continued, “Maybe a bit more aggressive, but just as passionate.” Yu scratched the back of his head and Chie leaned forward so that she could the detective. “No wonder you have a crush on him.”

“What!?” The sudden cry caused a few people to jump and Akira had to try his best to act surprised at Futaba’s sudden outburst.

“Can you please stop teasing me? I have no designs on him and we have far more pressing matters to discuss.” Akira watched as Futaba visibly relaxed. She jumped as he quietly took her hand under the table. She turned a light pink, but she squeezed his hand.

As he removed his hand from hers he caught Ann staring at the them. She had a soft smile playing across her lips. Akira shrugged before he turned his attention back to their hosts.

“You never explained why you needed to hide Morgana in the first place.” The detective said as she tried to regain her composure.

“Ah yes well, if you could hear Morgana and you did have something against us… well I don’t want to think what someone would do to a talking cat.” Akira’s face darkened as Morgana dropped into his lap.

“Well we can hear him, but uh that doesn’t answer why you contacted Naoto in the first place. I mean you clearly don’t trust us so why would you take the risk in the first place?” Yosuke asked from the far side of the table.

“Our friend needs help and our leader believes that you and your friends may be able to guide us to the answers we seek.” Yusuke slipped a small apple slice into his mouth as he finished speaking. A few people gave them some quizzical looks.

“To be more specific. I’m not cat. I was made… somewhere special, but I believe that I can become a human like all of you.” Morgana’s eyes peered at everyone as he spoke.

“Made? What do you mean made?” Yukiko leaned her head into her hand as she examined the cat in Akira’s lap.

“That is part of our story, which we are happy to share, AFTER, you share yours as was previously agreed.” Makoto sat back into her chair and crossed her legs.

“Man you guys are kinda rude.” Kanji’s mouth was crumpled into frown as he looked between the thieves.

“We prefer ‘careful’.” Haru’s voice was sweet and she gave the group a big smile.

“I would call it ‘hostile’!” Kanji countered looking slightly more annoyed.

“It’s alright Kanji.” The detective called to her friend, “Not everyone here knows, but I was rather hostile towards them. I… threatened them.” An uncomfortable silence fell over the group and all of her friends save two, looked at her with a shocked expression on their faces. “I’m not proud of it, but they have every right to be weary, even hostile, towards us.” Yu placed his hand on her shoulder.

“What’s done is done. Nothing we say now will change anything, and I see no reason as to why we can’t share our story with them.” Yu’s mere presence seemed to calm the group. “I do ask that we remain civil from now on.” Yu’s attention was suddenly on Akira and he could feel a sudden pressure descend upon him. Yu may have understood why they were acting so weary of him and his friends, but he certainly did not appreciate it. Something he couldn’t blame him for at all.

“You are right. I apologize. Regardless of our first impression with the detective, you all deserve a chance.” Akira bowed his head in apology.

“Good. I’m sure we can even learn to like each other, given time.” Yu’s expression softened before nodding. “Well then I suppose we can get started. It’s a long story and the sun is already setting.” Everyone leaned in as Yu looked between the others. Akira suddenly felt tense. There was a lot riding on this story.

“Ready when you are.” Akira’s mouth felt dry but he steadied his nerves and readied himself for whatever truths he was about to learn.

“It all started when I moved in with my uncle.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to make this a long term series. I've been a huge fan of this series since I discovered Persona 3 Portable, but Persona 4 literally saved me from myself. I look forward to everyone's feedback and I can't wait to continue this story. Keep a look out for some of my other work as well! I have a love for writing some more risque works so look forward to that in the future as well!


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